ACTUALLY  FROWNING  IN  A  FORGET-ME-NOT  BOWER.' 


EDUC.- 
PSVCM. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE 


A   STORY   FOR    GIRLS 


BY 


LAURA   E.   RICHARDS 


BOSTON 
ESTES    AND    LAURIAT 

PUBLISHERS 


Copyright,  1889, 
BY  ESTES  AND  LAURIAT. 


Education 
GIFT 


JOHN  WILSON  AND  SON,  CAMBRIDGE,  U.S.A. 


Gfi-rt 


TO 

MY    BELOVED     SISTER, 

i>otoc  C'iiiott. 


285 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.  HlLDEGARDIS    GRAHAM 9 

II.  DAME  AND  FARMER 31 

III.  THE  PRISONER  OF  DESPAIR 49 

IV.  THE  NEW  HILDA 73 

V.  ^E  BLUE  PLATTER 94 

VI.  HARTLEY'S  GLEN Ill 

VII.  PINK  CHIRK 135 

VIII.  THE  LETTER 160 

IX.  THE  OLD  CAPTAIN     . 178 

X.  A  PARTY  OF  PLEASURE 198 

XI.  THE  WARRIOR  QUEEN 218 

XII.  THE  OLD  MILL 237 

XIII.  THE  TREE-PARTY 272 

THE  LAST  WORD  .  289 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PAGB 
ACTUALLY  FROWNING  IN  A  FORGET-ME-NOT  BOWER 

Frontispiece 

WELL,  THAT  's  A  COMICAL  NAME,  NOW  ! 47 

WELL,  I  SWAN  ! 89 

HILDA    AND    BUBBLE    HAVE    MADE    THEMSELVES    EX- 
TREMELY  COMFORTABLE 117 

HILDA  AND  PINK 155 

WlTH  MUCH  ENERGY  AND  APPROPRIATE  ACTION  .     .     .  205 

"  GO  TO  YOUR  ROOM  !  "  SAID  HlLDA 227 

IT  WAS  WITH  A  SHAKING  HAND  ....  267 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 


CHAPTER  I. 

HILDEGARDIS    GRAHAM. 

have  you  decided  what  is  to  become 
of  Hilda!  "  asked  Mrs.  Graham. 

"  Hilda  I "  replied  her  husband,  in  a  tone  of 
surprise,  "Hilda!  why,  she  will  go  with  us, 
of  course.  What  else  should  become  of  the 
child?  She  will  enjoy  the  trip  immensely,  I 
have  no  doubt." 

Mrs.  Graham  sighed  and  shook  her  head. 
"  I  fear  that  is  impossible,  dear  George ! "  she 
said.  "  To  tell  the  truth,  I  am  a  little  anxious 
about  Hilda;  she  is  not  at  all  well.  I  don't 
mean  that  she  is  actually  ill"  she  added 
quickly,  as  Mr.  Graham  looked  up  in  alarm, 


10  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

"  but  she  seems  languid  and  dispirited,  has  no 
appetite,  and  is  inclined  to  be  fretful,  —  an 
unusual  thing  for  her." 

"  Needs  a  change ! "  said  Mr.  Graham, 
shortly.  "  Best  thing  for  her.  Been  study- 
ing too  hard,  I  suppose,  and  eating  caramels. 
If  I  could  discover  the  man  who  invented  that 
pernicious  sweetmeat,  I  would  have  him 
hanged  !  —  hanged,  madam !  " 

"  Oh,  no,  you  would  n't,  dear ! "  said  his  wife, 
laughing  softly ;  "I  think  his  life  would  be 
quite  safe.  But  about  Hilda  now !  She  does 
need  a  change,  certainly;  but  is  the  overland 
journey  in  July  just  the  right  kind  of  change 
for  her,  do  you  think  !  " 

Mr.  Graham  frowned,  ran  his  fingers  through 
his  hair,  drummed  on  the  table,  and  then  con- 
sidered his  boots  attentively.  "  Well  —  no!" 
he  said  at  last,  reluctantly.  "I  —  suppose  — 
not.  But  what  can  we  do  with  her!  Send 
her  to  Fred  and  Mary  at  the  seashore  ?  " 

"  To  sleep  in  a  room  seven  by  twelve,  and 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  11 

be  devoured  by  mosquitoes,  and  have  to  wear 
'  good  clothes  '  all  the  time  ?  "  returned  Mrs. 
Graham.  "  Certainly  not." 

"  Aunt  Emily  is  going  to  the  mountains," 
suggested  Mr.  Graham,  doubtfully. 

u  Yes,"  replied  his  wife,  "  with  sixteen  trunks, 
a  maid,  a  footman,  and  three  lapdogs  !  That 
would  never  do  for  Hilda." 

"  You  surely  are  not  thinking  of  leaving 
her  alone  here  with  the  servants?" 

The  lady  shook  her  head.  "  No,  dear;  such 
poor  wits  as  Heaven  granted  me  are  not  yet 
entirely  gone,  thank  you  !  " 

Mr.  Graham  rose  from  his  chair  and  flung 
out  both  arms  in  a  manner  peculiar  to  him 
when  excited.  "  Now,  now,  now,  Mildred  !  " 
he  said  impressively,  "  I  have  always  said 
that  you  were  a  good  woman,  and  I  shall 
continue  to  assert  the  same ;  but  you  have 
powers  of  tormenting  that  could  not  be  sur- 
passed by  the  most  heartless  of  your  sex.  It 
is  perfectly  clear,  even  to  my  darkened  mind, 


12  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

that  you  have  some  plan  for  Hilda  fully 
matured  and  arranged  in  that  scheming  little 
head  of  yours ;  so  what  is  your  object  in 
keeping  me  longer  in  suspense  !  Out  with  it, 
now  !  What  are  you  —  for  of  course  I  am  in 
reality  only  a  cipher  (a  tolerably  large  cipher) 
in  the  sum  —  what  are  you,  the  commander- 
in-chief,  going  to  do  with  Hilda,  the  lieutenant- 
general  ?  If  you  will  kindly  inform  the  orderly- 
sergeant,  he  will  act  accordingly,  and  endeavor 
to  do  his  duty." 

Pretty  Mrs.  Graham  laughed  again,  and 
looked  up  at  the  six-feet-two  of  sturdy  man- 
hood standing  on  the  hearth-rug,  gazing  at  her 
with  eyes  which  twinkled  merrily  under  the 
fiercely  frowning  brows.  "  You  are  a  very 
^orderly-sergeant,  dear  ! ''  she  said.  "  Just 
look  at  your  hair !  It  looks  as  if  all  the  four 
winds  had  been  blowing  through  it  —  " 

"  Instead  of  all  the  ten  fingers  going  through 
it,"  interrupted  her  husband.  "Never  mind 
my  hair ;  that  is  not  the  point.  What  —  do  — 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  13 

you  —  propose  —  to  —  do  —  with  —  your 
daughter  —  Hildegarde,  or  Hildegardis,  as  it 
should  properly  be  written?" 

"  Well,  dear  George,"  said  the  commander- 
in-chief  (she  was  a  very  small  woman  and  a 
very  pretty  one,  though  she  had  a  daughter 
"  older  than  herself,"  as  her  husband  said  ;  and 
she  wore  a  soft  lilac  gown,  and  had  soft,  wavy 
brown  hair,  and  was  altogether  very  pleasant 
to  look  at)  —  "  well,  dear  George,  the  truth  is, 
I  have  a  little  plan,  which  I  should  like  very 
much  to  carry  out,  if  you  fully  approve  of  it." 

"  Ha  !  n  said  Mr.  Graham,  tossing  his  "  tem- 
pestuous locks"  again,  "  ho  !  I  thought  as  much. 
If  I  approve,  eh,  little  madam  ?  Better  say, 
whether  I  approve  or  not." 

So  saying,  the  good-natured  giant  sat  himself 
down  again,  and  listened  while  his  wife  unfolded 
her  plan ;  and  what  the  plan  was,  we  shall  see  by 
and  by.  Meanwhile  let  us  take  a  peep  at  Hilda, 
or  Hildegardis,  as  she  sits  in  her  own  room,  all 
unconscious  of  the  plot  which  is  hatching  in 


14  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

the  parlor  below.  She  is  a  tall  girl  of  fifteen. 
Probably  she  has  attained  her  full  height,  for 
she  looks  as  if  she  had  been  growing  too  fast ; 
her  form  is  slender,  her  face  pale,  with  a  weary 
look  in  the  large  gray  eyes.  It  is  a  delicate, 
high-bred  face,  with  a  pretty  nose,  slightly 
"  tip- tilted,"  and  a  beautiful  mouth;  but  it  is 
half-spoiled  by  the  expression,  which  is  dis- 
contented, if  not  actually  peevish.  If  we  lifted 
the  light  curling  locks  of  fair  hair  which  lie  on 
her  forehead,  we  should  see  a  very  decided 
frown  on  a  broad  white  space  which  ought  to 
be  absolutely  smooth.  Why  should  a  girl  of 
fifteen  frown,  especially  a  girl  so  "  exception- 
ally fortunate"  as  all  her  friends  considered 
Hilda  Graham  t  Certainly  her  surroundings  at 
this  moment  are  pretty  enough  to  satisfy  any 
girl.  The  room  is  not  large,  but  it  has  a  sunny 
bay-window  which  seems  to  increase  its  size 
twofold.  In  re-furnishing  it  a  year  before, 
her  father  had  in  mind  Hilda's  favorite  flower, 
the  forget-me-not,  and  the  room  is  simply  a 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  15 

bower  of  forget-me-nots.  Scattered  over  the 
dull  olive  ground  of  the  carpet,  clustering  and 
nodding  from  the  wall-paper,  peeping  from  the 
folds  of  the  curtains,  the  forget-me-nots  are 
everywhere.  Even  the  creamy  surface  of  the 
toilet-jug  and  bowl,  even  the  ivory  backs  of  the 
brushes  that  lie  on  the  blue-covered  toilet  table, 
bear  each  its  cluster  of  pale-blue  blossoms ; 
while  the  low  easy-chair  in  which  the  girl  is 
reclining,  and  the  pretty  sofa  with  its  plump 
cushions  inviting  to  repose,  repeat  the  same  tale. 
The  tale  is  again  repeated,  though  in  a  differ- 
ent way,  by  a  scroll  running  round  the  top  of 
the  wall,  on  which  in  letters  of  blue  and  gold 
is  written  at  intervals :  "  Ne  m'oubliez  pas  !  " 
"  Vergiss  mein  nicht !  "  "  Non  ti  scordar  !  n 
and  the  same  sentiment  is  repeated  in  Span- 
ish, Latin,  Greek,  and  Hebrew,  of  all  which 
tongues  the  fond  father  possessed  knowledge. 
Is  not  this  indeed  a  bower,  wherein  a  girl 
ought  to  be  happy  I  the  bird  in  the  window 
thinks  his  blue  and  gold  cage  the  finest  house 


16  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

in  the  world,  and  sings  as  heartily  and  cheer- 
ily as  if  he  had  been  in  the  wide  green 
forest ;  but  his  mistress  does  not  sing.  She 
sits  in  the  easy-chair,  with  a  book  upside-down 
in  her  lap,  and  frowns,  —  actually  frowns,  in 
a  forget-me-not  bower!  There  is  not  much 
the  matter,  really.  Her  head  aches,  that  is  all. 
Her  German  lesson  has  been  longer  and  harder 
than  usual,  and  her  father  was  quite  right 
about  the  caramels  ;  there  is  a  box  of  them 
on  the  table  now,  within  easy  reach  of  the 
slim  white  hand  with  its  forget-me-not  ring 
of  blue  turquoises.  (I  do  not  altogether  agree 
with  Mr.  Graham  about  hanging  the  caramel- 
maker,  but  I  should  heartily  like  to  burn  all 
his  wares.  Fancy  a  great  mountain  of  cara- 
mels and  chocolate-creams  and  marrons  glaces 
piled  up  in  Union  Square,  for  example,  and 
blazing  away  merrily,  —  that  is,  if  the  things 
would  burn,  which  is  more  than  doubtful. 
How  the  maidens  would  weep  and  wring  their 
hands  while  the  heartless  parents  chuckled 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  17 

and  fed  the  flames  with  all  the  precious  treas- 
ures of  Maillard  and  Huyler !  Ah !  it  is  a 
pleasant  thought,  for  I  who  write  this  am  a 
heartless  parent,  do  you  see  !) 

As  I  said  before,  Hilda  had  no  suspicion  of 
the  plot  which  her  parents  were  concocting. 
She  knew  that  her  father  was  obliged  to  go 
to  San  Francisco,  being  called  suddenly  to 
administer  the  estate  of  a  cousin  who  had  re- 
cently died  there,  and  that  her  mother  and  — 
as  she  supposed  —  herself  were  going  with 
him  to  offer  sympathy  and  help  to  the  widow, 
an  invalid  with  three  little  children.  As  to 
the  idea  of  her  being  left  behind;  of  her  fa- 
ther's starting  off  on  a  long  journey  without 
his  lieutenant-general ;  of  her  mother's  part- 
ing from  her  only  child,  whom  she  had 
watched  with  tender  care  and  anxiety  since 
the  day  of  her  birth,  —  such  a  thought  never 
came  into  Hilda's  mind.  Wherever  her  pa- 
rents went  she  went,  as  a  matter  of  course. 
So  it  had  always  been,  and  so  without  doubt 


18  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

it  always  would  be.  She  did  not  care  spe- 
cially about  going  to  California  at  this  season 
of  the  year,  —  in  fact  she  had  told  her  bosom 
friend,  Madge  Everton,  only  the  day  before, 
that  it  was  "'rather  a  bore,"  and  that  she 
should  have  preferred  to  go  to  Newport. 
"  But  what  would  you  ?  "  she  added,  with  the 
slightest  shrug  of  her  pretty  shoulders.  "Papa 
and  mamma  really  must  go,  it  appears ;  so  of 
course  I  must  go  too." 

"A  bore!"  repeated  Madge  energetically, 
replying  to  the  first  part  of  her  friend's  re- 
marks. "  Hilda,  what  a  very  singular  girl  you 
are !  Here  I,  or  Nelly,  or  any  of  the  other 
girls  would  give  both  our  ears,  and  our  front 
teeth  too,  to  make  such  a  trip ;  and  just  be- 
cause you  can  go,  you  sit  there  and  call  it  '  a 
bore  ! '  And  Madge  shook  her  black  curls, 
and  opened  wide  eyes  of  indignation  and  won- 
der at  our  ungrateful  heroine.  "  I  only  wish," 
she  added,  "  that  you  and  I  could  be  changed 
into  each  other,  just  for  this  summer." 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  19 

"I  wish  — "  began  Hilda;  but  she  checked 
herself  in  her  response  to  the  wish,  as  the 
thought  of  Madge's  five  brothers  rose  in  her 
mind  (Hilda  could  not  endure  boys !),  looked 
attentively  at  the  toe  of  her  little  bronze  slip- 
per for  a  few  moments,  and  then  changed  the 
subject  by  proposing  a  walk.  "  Console  your- 
self with  the  caramels,  my  fiery  Madge,"  she 
said,  pushing  the  box  across  the  table,  "  while 
I  put  on  my  boots.  We  will  go  to  Maillard's 
and  get  some  more  while  we  are  out.  His 
caramels  are  decidedly  better  than  Huyler's ; 
don't  you  think  so?" 

A  very  busy  woman  was  pretty  Mrs.  Gra- 
ham during  the  next  two  weeks.  First  she 
made  an  expedition  into  the  country  "to  see 
an  old  friend,"  she  said,  and  was  gone  two 
whole  days.  And  after  that  she  was  out 
every  morning,  driving  hither  and  thither, 
from  shop  to  dressmaker,  from  dressmaker  to 
milliner,  from  milliner  to  shoemaker. 

"It  is  a  sad  thing,"  Mr.  Graham  would  say, 


20  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

when  his  wife  fluttered  in  to  lunch,  breathless 
and  exhausted  and  half  an  hour  late  (she,  the 
most  punctual  of  women!), — "  it  is  a  sad 
thing  to  have  married  a  comet  by  mistake, 
thinking  it  was  a  woman.  How  did  you  find 
the  other  planets  this  morning,  my  dear!  Is 
it  true  that  Saturn  has  lost  one  of  his  rings  ? 
and  has  the  Sun  recovered  from  his  last  at- 
tack of  spots?  I  really  fear,"  he  would  add, 
turning  to  Hilda,  "  that  this  preternatural  ac- 
tivity in  your  comet-parent  portends  some 
alarming  change  in  the  —  a  —  atmospheric  phe- 
nomena, my  child.  I  would  have  you  on  your 
guard ! "  and  then  he  would  look  at  her  and 
sigh,  shake  his  head,  and  apply  himself  to  the 
cold  chicken  with  melancholy  vigor. 

Hilda  thought  nothing  of  her  father's  re- 
marks, —  papa  was  always  talking  nonsense, 
and  she  thought  she  always  understood  him 
perfectly.  It  did  occur  to  her,  however,  to 
wonder  at  her  mother's  leaving  her  out  on  all 
her  shopping  expeditions.  Hilda  rather  prided 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  21 

herself  on  her  skill  in  matching  shades  and 
selecting  fabrics,  and  mamma  was  generally 
glad  of  her  assistance  in  all  such  matters. 
However,  perhaps  it  was  only  under-clothing 
and  house-linen,  and  such  things  that  she  was 
buying.  All  that  was  the  prosy  part  of  shop- 
ping. It  was  the  poetry  of  it  that  Hilda 
loved, — the  shimmer  of  silk  and  satin,  the 
rich  shadows  in  velvet,  the  cool,  airy  flutter- 
ing of  lawn  and  muslin  and  lace.  So  the 
girl  went  on  her  usual  way,  finding  life  a 
little  dull,  a  little  tiresome,  and  most  people 
rather  stupid,  but  everything  on  the  whole 
much  as  usual,  if  her  head  only  would  not 
ache  so ;  and  it  was  without  a  shadow  of 
suspicion  that  she  obeyed  one  morning  her 
mother's  summons  to  come  and  see  her  in 
her  dressing-room. 

Mr.  Graham  always  spoke  of  his  wife's 
dressing-room  as  "  the  citadel."  It  was  ab- 
solutely impregnable,  he  said.  In  the  open 
field  of  the  drawing-room  or  the  broken 


22  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

country  of  the  dining-room  it  might  be  pos- 
sible—  he  had  never  known  such  a  thing  to 
occur,  but  still  it  might  be  possible  —  for 
the  commander-in- chief  to  sustain  a  defeat; 
but  once  intrenched  behind  the  walls  of  the 
citadel,  horse,  foot,  and  dragoons  might  storm 
and  charge  upon  her,  but  they  could  not  gain 
an  inch.  Not  an  inch,  sir !  True  it  was  that 
Mrs.  Graham  always  felt  strongest  in  this 
particular  room.  She  laughed  about  it,  but 
acknowledged  the  fact.  Here,  on  the  wall, 
hung  a  certain  picture  which  was  always  an 
inspiration  to  her.  Here,  on  the  shelf  above 
her  desk,  were  the  books  of  her  heart,  the 
few  tried  friends  to  whom  she  turned  for  help 
and  counsel  when  things  puzzled  her.  (Mrs. 
Graham  was  never  disheartened.  She  didn't 
believe  there  was  such  a  word.  She  was  only 
"  puzzled  "  sometimes,  until  she  saw  her  way 
and  her  duty  clear  before  her,  and  then  she 
went  straight  forward,  over  a  mountain  or 
through  a  stone  wall,  as  the  case  might  be.) 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  23 

Here,  in  the  drawer  of  her  little  work-table, 
were  some  relics,  —  a  tiny,  half- worn  shoe,  a 
little  doll,  a  sweet  baby  face  laughing  from 
an  ivory  frame :  the  insignia  of  her  rank  in 
the  great  order  of  sorrowing  mothers ;  and 
these,  perhaps,  gave  her  that  great  sympathy 
and  tenderness  for  all  who  were  in  trouble 
which  drew  all  sad  hearts  towards  her. 

And  so,  on  this  occasion,  the  little  woman 
had  sat  for  a  few  moments  looking  at  the  pic- 
tured face  on  the  wall,  with  its  mingled  ma- 
jesty and  sweetness ;  had  peeped  into  the 
best-beloved  of  all  books,  and  said  a  little 
prayer,  as  was  her  wont  when  "  puzzled," 
before  she  sent  the  message  to  Hilda,  —  for 
she  knew  that  she  must  sorely  hurt  and 
grieve  the  child  who  was  half  the  world  to 
her;  and  though  she  did  not  flinch  from  the 
task,  she  longed  for  strength  and  wisdom  to 
do  it  in  the  kindest  and  wisest  way. 

"  Hilda,  dear,"  she  said  gently,  when  they 
were  seated  together  on  the  sofa,  hand  in 


24  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

hand,  with  each  an  arm  round  the  other's 
waist,  as  they  loved  best  to  sit,  — "  Hilda, 
dear,  I  have  something  to  say  that  will  not 
please  you ;  something  that  may  even  grieve 
you  very  much  at  first."  She  paused,  and 
Hilda  rapidly  reviewed  in  her  mind  all  the 
possibilities  that  she  could  think  of.  Had 
anything  happened  to  the  box  of  French 
dresses  which  was  on  its  way  from  Paris? 
Had  a  careless  servant  broken  the  glass  of 
her  fernery  again  ?  Had  Aunt  Emily  been 
saying  disagreeable  things  about  her,  as  she 
was  apt  to  do?  She  was  about  to  speak, 
but  at  that  moment,  like  a  thunderbolt, 
the  next  words  struck  her  ear:  "  We  have 
decided  not  to  take  you  with  us  to  Cali- 
fornia." Amazed,  wounded,  indignant,  Hilda 
could  only  lift  her  great  gray  eyes  to  meet 
the  soft  violet  ones  which,  full  of  unshed 
tears,  were  fixed  tenderly  upon  her.  Mrs. 
Graham  continued :  "  Your  father  and  I  both 
feel,  my  darling,  that  this  long,  fatiguing 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  25 

journey,  in  the  full  heat  of  summer,  would 
be  the  worst  possible  thing  for  you.  You 
have  not  been  very  well  lately,  and  it  is 
most  important  that  you  should  lead  a  quiet, 
regular,  healthy  life  for  the  next  few  months. 
We  have  therefore  made  arrangements  to 
leave  you — " 

But  here  Hilda  could  control  herself  no 
longer.  "  Mamma  !  mamma  !  "  she  cried. 
"How  can  you  be  so  unkind,  so  cruel? 
Leave  me  —  you  and  papa  both?  Why,  I 
shall  die !  Of  course  I  shall  die,  all  alone  in 
this  great  house.  I  thought  you  loved  me!" 
and  she  burst  into  tears,  half  of  anger,  half 
of  grief,  and  sobbed  bitterly. 

"  Dear  child  ! "  said  Mrs.  Graham,  smooth- 
ing the  fair  hair  lovingly,  "  if  you  had 
heard  me  out,  you  would  have  seen  that  we 
had  no  idea  of  leaving  you  alone,  or  of  leav- 
ing you  in  this  house  either.  You  are  to  stay 
with  —  " 

"Not   with   Aunt   Emily!"   cried   the   girl, 


26  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

springing  to  her  feet  with  flashing  eyes. 
"Mamma,  I  would  rather  beg  in  the  streets 
than  stay  with  Aunt  Emily.  She  is  a  detest- 
able, ill-natured,  selfish  woman." 

"  Hildegarde,"  said  Mrs.  Graham  gravely, 
"  be  silent !  "  There  was  a  moment  of  absolute 
stillness,  broken  only  by  the  ticking  of  the 
little  crystal  clock  on  the  mantelpiece,  and 
then  Mrs.  Graham  continued:  "I  must  ask 
you  not  to  speak  again,  my  daughter,  until  I 
have  finished  what  I  have  to  say ;  and  even 
then,  I  trust  you  will  keep  silence  until  you 
are  able  to  command  yourself.  You  are  to 
stay  with  my  old  nurse,  Mrs.  Hartley,  at  her 
farm  near  Grlenfield.  She  is  a  very  kind,  good 
woman,  and  will  take  the  best  possible  care  of 
you.  I  went  to  the  farm  myself  last  week, 
and  found  it  a  lovely  place,  with  every  com- 
fort, though  no  luxuries,  save  the  great  one  of 
a  free,  healthy,  natural  life.  There,  my  Hilda, 
we  shall  leave  you,  sadly  indeed,  and  yet  feel- 
ing that  you  are  in  good  and  loving  hands. 


QUEEN    HILDEGARDE.  27 

And  I  feel  very  sure,"  she  added  in  a  lighter 
tone,  "  that  by  the  time  we  return,  you  will  be 
a  rosy-cheeked  country  lass,  strong  and  hearty, 
with  no  more  thought  of  headaches,  and  no 
wrinkle  in  your  forehead."  As  she  ceased 
speaking,  Mrs.  Graham  drew  the  girl  close  to 
her,  and  kissed  the  white  brow  tenderly,  mur- 
muring :  "  God  bless  my  darling  daughter  !  If 
she  knew  how  her  mother's  heart  aches  at  part- 
ing with  her  ! "  But  Hilda  did  not  know.  She 
was  too  angry,  too  bewildered,  too  deeply  hurt, 
to  think  of  any  one  except  herself.  She  felt 
that  she  could  not  trust  herself  to  speak,  and 
it  was  in  silence,  and  without  returning  her 
mother's  caress,  that  she  rose  and  sought  her 
own  room. 

Mrs.  Graham  looked  after  her  wistfully,  ten- 
derly, but  made  no  effort  to  call  her  back. 
The  tears  trembled  in  her  soft  blue  eyes,  and 
her  lip  quivered  as  she  turned  to  her  work- 
table;  but  she  said  quietly  to  herself:  "Soli- 
tude is  a  good  medicine.  The  child  will  do 


28  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

well,  and  I  know  that  I  have  chosen  wisely  for 
her." 

Bitter  tears  did  Hildegarde  shed  as  she  flung 
herself  face  downward  on  her  own  blue  sofa. 
Angry  thoughts  surged  through  her  brain. 
Now  she  burned  with  resentment  at  the  parents 
who  could  desert  her,  —  their  only  child  ;  now 
she  melted  into  pity  for  herself,  and  wept  more 
and  more  as  she  pictured  the  misery  that  lay 
before  her.  To  be  left  alone  —  alone  !  —  on  a 
squalid,  wretched  farm,  with  a  dirty  old  wom- 
an, a  woman  who  had  been  a  servant,  —  she, 
Hildegardis  Graham,  the  idol  of  her  parents, 
the  queen  of  her  "  set "  among  the  young  peo- 
ple, the  proudest  and  most  exclusive  girl  in 
New  York,  as  she  had  once  (and  not  with 
displeasure)  heard  herself  called ! 

What  would  Madge  Everton,  what  would 
all  the  girls  say  !  How  they  would  laugh,  to 
hear  of  Hilda  Graham  living  on  a  farm  among 
pigs  and  hens  and  dirty  people !  Oh !  it 
was  intolerable ;  and  she  sprang  up  and  paced 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  29 

the  floor,  with  burning  cheeks  and  flashing 
eyes. 

The  thought  of  opposing  the  plan  did  not 
occur  to  her.  Mrs.  Graham's  rule,  gentle 
though  it  was,  was  not  of  the  flabby,  nor  yet 
of  the  elastic  sort.  Her  decisions  were  not 
hastily  arrived  at ;  but  once  made,  they  were 
final  and  abiding.  "  You  might  just  as  well 
try  to  oppose  the  Gulf  Stream  ! "  Mr.  Graham 
would  say.  "  They  do  it  sometimes  with  ice- 
bergs, and  what  is  the  result  ?  In  a  few  days 
the  great  clumsy  things  are  bowing  and  scrap- 
ing and  turning  somersaults,  and  fairly  jostling 
each  other  in  their  eagerness  to  obey  the  guid- 
ance of  the  insidious  current.  Insidious  Cur- 
rent, will  you  allow  a  cup  of  coffee  to  drift  in 
my  direction  I  I  shall  be  only  too  happy  to 
turn  a  somersault  if  it  will  afford  you — thanks ! 
—  the  smallest  gratification." 

So  Hildegarde's  first  lessons  had  been  in 
obedience  and  in  truthfulness  ;  and  these 
were  fairly  well  learned  before  she  began  her 


30  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

ABC.  And  so  she  knew  now,  that  she  might 
storm  and  weep  as  she  would  in  her  own  room, 
but  that  the  decree  was  fixed,  and  that  unless 
the  skies  fell,  her  summer  would  be  passed  at 
Hartley's  Glen. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  31 


CHAPTER  IT. 

DAME   AND    FARMER. 

WHEN  the  first  shock  was  over,  Hilda  was 
rather  glad  than  otherwise  to  learn  that  there 
was  to  be  no  delay  in  carrying  out  the  odious 
plan.  "The  sooner  the  better,"  she  said  to 
herself.  "I  certainly  don't  want  to  see  any  of 
the  girls  again,  and  the  first  plunge  will  be  the 
worst  of  it." 

"  What  clothes  am  I  to  take  ?  "  she  asked  her 
mother,  in  a  tone  which  she  mentally  denomi- 
nated "  quiet  and  cold,"  though  possibly  some 
people  might  have  called  it  "  sullen." 

"Your  clothes  are  already  packed,  dear," 
replied  Mrs.  Graham ;  "you  have  only  to  pack 
your  dressing-bag,  to  be  all  ready  for  the  start 
to-morrow.  See,  here  is  your  trunk,  locked  and 


32  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

strapped,  and  waiting  for  the  porter's  shoulder ;  " 
and  she  showed  Hilda  a  stout,  substantial- 
looking  trunk,  bearing  the  initials  H.  Gr. 

"But,  mamma,"  Hilda  began,  wondering 
greatly,  "  my  dresses  are  all  hanging  in  my 
wardrobe." 

"Not  all  of  them,  dear!"  said  her  mother, 
smiling.  "  Hark  !  papa  is  calling  you.  Make 
haste  and  go  down,  for  dinner  is  ready." 

Wondering  more  and  more,  Hildegarde  made 
a  hasty  toilet,  putting  on  the  pretty  pale  blue 
cashmere  dress  which  her  father  specially  liked, 
with  silk  stockings  to  match,  and  dainty  slip- 
pers of  bronze  kid.  As  she  clasped  the  neck- 
lace of  delicate  blue  and  silver  Venetian  beads 
which  completed  the  costume,  she  glanced  into 
the  long  cheval-glass  which  stood  between  the 
windows,  and  could  not  help  giving  a  little 
approving  nod  to  her  reflection.  Though  not 
a  great  beauty,  Hildegarde  was  certainly  a 
remarkably  pretty  and  even  distinguished- 
looking  girl ;  and  "  being  neither  blind  nor 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  33 

a  fool,"  she  soliloquized,  "  where  is  the  harm 
in  acknowledging  it  ?  "  But  the  next  moment 
the  thought  came:  "What  difference  will  it 
make,  in  a  stupid  farmhouse,  whether  I  am 
pretty  or  not  ?  I  might  as  well  be  a  Hottentot ! " 
and  with  the  "  quiet  and  cold "  look  darken- 
ing over  her  face,  she  went  slowly  down  stairs. 

Her  father  met  her  with  a  kiss  and  clasp  of 
the  hand  even  warmer  than  usual. 

"  Well,  General !  "  he  said,  in  a  voice  which 
insisted  upon  being  cheery,  u  marching  orders, 
eh  ?  Marching  orders  !  Break  up  camp  !  boot, 
saddle,  to  horse  and  away  !  Forces  to  march 
in  different  directions,  by  order  of  the  com- 
mander-in-chief."  But  the  next  moment  he 
added,  in  an  altered  tone :  "  My  girl,  mamma 
knows  best ;  remember  that !  She  is  right  in 
this  move,  as  she  generally  is.  Cheer  up, 
darling,  and  let  us  make  the  last  evening  a 
happy  one  !  " 

Hilda  tried  to  smile,  for  who  could  be  angry 
with  papal  She  made  a  little  effort,  and  the 


34  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

father  and  mother  made  a  great  one,  —  how 
great  she  could  not  know ;  and  so  the  evening 
passed,  better  than  might  have  been  expected. 

The  evening  passed,  and  the  night,  and 
the  next  day  came  ;  and  it  was  like  waking 
from  a  strange  dream  when  Hilda  found  her- 
self in  a  railway  train,  with  her  father  sitting 
beside  her,  and  her  mother's  farewell  kiss  yet 
warm  on  her  cheek,  speeding  over  the  open 
country,  away  from  home  and  all  that  she 
held  most  dear.  Her  dressing-bag,  with  her 
umbrella  neatly  strapped  to  it,  was  in  the  rack 
overhead,  the  check  for  her  trunk  in  hei 
pocket.  Could  it  all  be  true?  She  tried  t< 
listen  while  her  father  told  her  of  the  happy 
days  he  had  spent  on  his  grandfather's  farm 
when  he  was  a  boy ;  but  the  interest  was  not 
real,  and  she  found  it  hard  to  fix  her  mind  on 
what  he  was  saying.  What  did  she  care  about 
swinging  on  gates,  or  climbing  apple-trees,  or 
riding  unruly  colts  ?  She  was  not  a  boy,  nor 
even  a  tomboy.  When  he  spoke  of  the  de- 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  35 

lights  of  walking  in  the  country  through  wood- 
land and  meadow,  her  thoughts  strayed  to  Fifth 
Avenue,  with  its  throng  of  well-dressed  people, 
the  glittering  equipages  rolling  by,  the  stately 
houses  on  either  side,  through  whose  shining 
windows  one  caught  glimpses  of  the  splendors 
within  ;  and  to  the  Park,  with  its  shady  alleys 
and  well-kept  lawns.  Could  there  be  any 
walking  so  delightful  as  that  which  these  af- 
forded ?  Surely  not !  Ah  !  Madge  and  Helen 
were  probably  just  starting  for  their  walk  now. 
Did  they  know  of  her  banishment  ?  would  they 
laugh  at  the  thought  of  Queen  Hildgardis  vege- 
tating for  three  months  at  a  wretched  — 

"  Glenfield ! "  The  brakeman's  voice  rang  clear 
and  sharp  through  the  car.  Hilda  started,  and 
seized  her  father's  hand  convulsively. 

"  Papa  !  "  she  whispered,  "0  papa!  don't 
leave  me  here ;  take  me  home !  I  cannot  bear 
it !  " 

"Come,  my  child!"  said  Mr.  Graham,  speak- 
ing low,  and  with  an  odd  catch  in  his  voice; 


36     .  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

"that  is  not  the  way  to  go  into  action.  Ke- 
member,  this  is  your  first  battle.  So,  eyes 
front !  charge  bayonets !  quick  step !  forward, 
march  !  " 

The  train  had  stopped.  They  were  on  the 
platform.  Mr.  Graham  led  Hilda  tip  to  a 
stout,  motherly-looking  woman,  who  held  out 
her  hand  with  a  beaming  smile. 

"  Here  is  my  daughter,  Mrs.  Hartley ! "  he 
said,  hastily.  "You  will  take  good  care  of 
her,  I  know.  My  darling,  good-by !  I  go  on 
to  Dashford,  and  home  by  return  train  in  an 
hour.  God  bless  you,  my  Hilda !  Courage ! 
Up,  Guards,  and  at  them  !  Eem ember  Water- 
loo ! "  and  he  was  gone.  The  engine  shrieked 
an  unearthly  "Good-by!"  and  the  train  rum- 
bled away,  leaving  Hilda  gazing  after  it 
through  a  mist  which  only  her  strong  will 
prevented  from  dissolving  in  tears. 

"  Well,  my  dear,"  said  Dame  Hartley's 
cheery  voice,  "your  papa's  gone,  and  you 
must  not  stand  here  and  fret  after  him.  Here 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  37 

is  old  Nancy  shaking  her  head,  and  wonder- 
ing why  she  does  not  get  home  to  her  din- 
ner. Do  you  get  into  the  cart,  and  I  will 
get  the  station-master  to  put  your  trunk  in 
for  us." 

Hilda  obeyed  in  silence ;  and  climbing  into 
the  neat  wagon,  took  her  seat  and  looked 
about  her  while  Dame  Hartley  bustled  off  in 
search  of  the  station-master.  There  was  not 
very  much  to  look  at  at  Glenfield  station. 
The  low  wooden  building  with  its  long  plat- 
form stood  on  a  bare  spot  of  ground,  from 
which  the  trees  all  stood  back,  as  if  to  mark 
their  disapproval  of  the  railway  and  all  that 
belonged  to  it.  The  sandy  soil  made  little 
attempt  to  produce  vegetation,  but  put  out 
little  humps  of  rock  occasionally,  to  show 
what  it  could  do.  Behind,  a  road  led  off 
into  the  woods,  hiding  itself  behind  the  low- 
hanging  branches  of  chestnut  and  maple,  ash 
and  linden  trees.  That  was  all.  Now  that 
the  train  was  gone,  the  silence  was  unbroken 


38  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

save  by  the  impatient  movements  of  the  old 
white  mare  as  she  shook  the  flies  off  and  rat- 
tled the  jingling  harness. 

Hilda  was  too  weary  to  think.  She  had  slept 
little  the  night  before,  and  the  suddenness  of 
the  recent  changes  confused  her  mind  and  made 
her  feel  as  if  she  were  some  one  else,  and 
not  herself  at  all.  She  sat  patiently,  counting 
half-unconsciously  each  quiver  of  Nancy's 
ears.  But  now  Dame  Hartley  came  bust- 
ling back  with  the  station-master,  and  between 
the  two,  Hilda's  trunk  was  hoisted  into  the 
cart.  Then  the  good  woman  climbed  in  over 
the  wheel,  settled  her  ample  person  on  the  seat 
and  gathered  up  the  reins,  while  the  station- 
master  stood  smoothing  the  mare's  mane,  ready 
for  a  parting  word  of  friendly  gossip. 

"  Jacob  pooty  smart!"  he  asked,  brushing  a 
fly  from  Nancy's  shoulder. 

"  Only  middling,"  was  the  reply.  "  He  had 
a  touch  o'  rheumatiz,  that  last  spell  of  wet 
weather,  and  it  seems  to  hang  on,  kind  of 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  39 

Ketches  him  in  the  joints  and  the  small  of 
his  back  if  he  rises  up  suddin." 

"I  know!  I  know!"  replied  the  station- 
master,  with  eager  interest.  "Jest  like  my 
spells  ketches  me  ;  on'y  I  have  it  powerful  bad 
acrost  my  shoulders,  too.  I  been  kerryin'  a 
potato  in  my  pocket  f r  over  and  above  a 
week  now,  and  I  'm  in  hopes  't  711  cure  me." 

"A  potato  in  your  pocket!"  exclaimed 
Dame  Hartley.  "  Reuel  Slocuni !  what  do 
you  mean  ?  " 

"  Sounds  curus,  don't  it?"  returned  Mr. 
Slocuni.  "But  it's  a  fact  that  it's  a  great 
cure  for  rheumatiz.  A  grea-at  cure  !  Why, 
there 's  Barzillay  Smith,  over  to  Peat's  Corner, 
has  kerried  a  potato  in  his  pocket  for  five 
years,  —  not  the  same  potato,  y'  know  ; 
changes  'em  when  they  begin  to  sprout,  — 
and  he  hesn't  hed  a  touch  o?  rheumatism  all 
that  time.  Not  a  touch  !  tol7  me  so  himself." 

"Had  he  ever  hed  it  before!"  asked  Dame 
Hartley. 


40  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

"I  <Tno  as  he  bed,"  said  Mr.  Slocum.  "  But 
his  father  hed ;  an'  his  granf'ther  before  him. 
So  ye  see  —  " 

But  here  Hilda  uttered  a  long  sigh  of  wear- 
iness and  impatience ;  and  Dame  Hartley, 
with  a  penitent  glance  at  her,  bade  good- 
morning  to  the  victim  of  rheumatism,  gave 
old  Nancy  a  smart  slap  with  the  reins,  and 
drove  off  down  the  wood-road. 

"  My  dear  child,"  she  said  to  Hilda  as  they 
jogged  along,  "  I  ought  not  to  have  kept  you 
waiting  so  long,  and  you  tired  with  your  ride 
in  the  cars.  But  Eeuel  Slocum  lives  all  alone 
here,  and  he  does  enjoy  a  little  chat  with  an 
old  neighbor  more  than  most  folks ;  so  I  hope 
you  '11  excuse  me." 

"  It  is  of  no  consequence,  thank  you,"  mur- 
mured Hildegarde,  with  cold  civility.  She  did 
not  like  to  be  called  "  my  dear  child,"  to  begin 
with ;  and  besides,  she  was  very  weary  and 
heartsick,  and  altogether  miserable.  But  she 
tried  to  listen,  as  the  good  woman  continued 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  41 

to  talk  in  a  cheery,  comfortable  tone,  telling  her 
how  fond  she  had  always  been  of  "Miss  Mil- 
dred," as  she  called  Mrs.  Graham,  and  how  she 
had  the  care  of  her  till  she  was  almost  a  woman 
grown,  and  never  would  have  left  her  then  if 
Jacob  Hartley  hadn't  got  out  of  patience. 

"  And  to  think  how  you  Ve  grown,  Hilda 
dear !  You  don't  remember  it,  of  course,  but 
this  is  n't  the  first  time  you  have  been  at  Hart- 
ley's Glen.  A  sweet  baby  you  were,  just 
toddling  about  on  the  prettiest  little  feet  I 
ever  saw,  when  your  mamma  brought  you  out 
here  to  spend  a  month  with  old  Nurse  Lucy. 
And  your  father  came  out  every  week,  when- 
ever he  could  get  away  from  his  business. 
What  a  fine  man  he  is,  to  be  sure  !  And  he 
and  my  husband  had  rare  times,  shooting  over 
the  meadows,  and  fishing,  and  the  like." 

They  were  still  in  the  wood-road,  now  jolting 
along  over  ridges  and  hummocks,  now  plough- 
ing through  stretches  of  soft,  sandy  soil.  Above 
and  on  either  side,  the  great  trees  interlaced 


42  QUEEN   IIILDEGARDE. 

their  branches,  sometimes  letting  them  droop 
till  they  brushed  against  Hilda's  cheek,  some- 
times lifting  them  to  give  her  a  glimpse  of  cool 
vistas  of  dusky  green,  shade  within  shade,  — 
moss-grown  hollows,  where  the  St.  JohnVwort 
showed  its  tarnished  gold,  and  white  Indian 
pipe  gleamed  like  silver  along  the  ground ;  or 
stony  beds  over  which,  in  the  time  of  the  spring 
rains,  little  brown  brooks  ran  foaming  and  bub- 
bling down  through  the  woods.  The  air  was 
filled  with  the  faint  cool  smell  of  ferns,  and  on 
every  side  were  great  masses  of  them,  —  clumps 
of  splendid  ostrich-ferns,  waving  their  green 
plumes  in  stately  pride ;  miniature  forests  of 
the  graceful  brake,  beneath  whose  feathery 
branches  the  wood-mouse  and  other  tiny  forest- 
creatures  roamed  secure  ;  and  in  the  very  road- 
way, trampled  under  old  Nancy's  feet,  delicate 
lady-fern,  and  sturdy  hart's-tongue,  and  a 
dozen  other  varieties,  all  perfect  in  grace  and 
sylvan  beauty.  Hilda  was  conscious  of  a  vague 
delight,  through  all  her  fatigue  and  distress. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  43 

How  beautiful  it  was ;  how  cool  and  green 
and  restful !  If  she  must  stay  in  the  country, 
why  could  it  not  be  always  in  the  woods,  where 
there  was  no  noise,  nor  dust,  nor  confusion  ? 

Her  revery  was  broken  in  upon  by  Dame 
Hartley's  voice  crying  cheerily,  — 

"  And  here  we  are,  out  of  the  woods  at  last ! 
Cheer  up,  my  pretty,  and  let  me  show  you  the 
first  sight  of  the  farm.  It 7s  a  pleasant,  heart- 
some  place,  to  my  thinking." 

The  trees  opened  left  and  right,  stepping 
back  and  courtesying,  like  true  gentlefolks 
as  they  are,  with  delicate  leaf-draperies  droop- 
ing low.  The  sun  shone  bright  and  hot  on  a 
bit  of  hard,  glaring  yellow  road,  and  touched 
more  quietly  the  roofs  and  chimneys  of  an  old 
yellow  farm-house  standing  at  some  distance 
from  the  road,  with  green  rolling  meadows  on 
every  side,  and  a  great  clump  of  trees  mounting 
guard  behind  it.  A  low  stone  wall,  with  wild- 
roses  nodding  over  it,  ran  along  the  roadside 
for  some  way,  and  midway  in  it  was  a  trim, 


44  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

yellow-painted  gate,  which  stood  invitingly 
open,  showing  a  neat  drive- way,  shaded  on 
either  side  by  graceful  drooping  elms.  Old 
Nancy  pricked  up  her  ears  and  quickened 
her  pace  into  a  very  respectable  trot,  as  if  she 
already  smelt  her  oats.  Dame  Hartley  shook 
her  own  comfortable  shoulders  and  gave  a 
little  sigh  of  relief,  for  she  too  was  tired,  and 
glad  to  get  home.  But  Hilda  tightened  her 
grasp  on  the  handle  of  her  dressing-bag,  and 
Closed  her  eyes  with  a  slight  shiver  of  dislike 
and  dread.  She  would  not  look  at  this  place. 
It  was  the  hateful  prison  where  she  was  to  be 
shut  up  for  three  long,  weary,  dismal  months. 
The  sun  might  shine  on  it,  the  trees  might 
wave,  and  the  wild-roses  open  their  slender 
pink  buds  ;  it  would  be  nothing  to  her.  She 
hated  it,  and  nothing,  nothing,  nothing  could 
ever  make  her  feel  differently.  Ah  !  the  fixed 
and  immovable  determination  of  fifteen,  —  does 
later  life  bring  anything  like  it  ? 

But  now  the  wagon  stopped,  and  Hilda  must 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  45 

open  her  eyes,  whether  she  would  or  no.  In 
the  porch,  under  the  blossoming  clematis,  stood 
a  tall,  broad-shouldered  man,  dressed  in  rough 
homespun,  who  held  out  his  great  brown  hand 
and  said  in  a  gruff,  hearty  voice,  — 

"  Here  ye  be,  eh?  Thought  ye  was  never 
comin'.  And  this  is  little  miss,  is  it  ?  Howdy, 
missy  ?  Glad  to  see  ye  !  Let  me  jump  ye  out 
over  the  wheel !  " 

But  Hilda  declined  to  be  "  jumped  out ;  "  and 
barely  touching  the  proffered  hand,  sprang 
lightly  to  the  ground. 

"  Now,  Mann  Lucy,"  said  Farmer  Hartley, 
"let's  see  you  give  a  jump  like  that.  'T ain't 
so  long,  seems  to  me,  sence  ye  used  to  be  as 
spry  as  a  hoppergrass." 

Dame  Hartley  laughed,  and  climbed  lei- 
surely down  from  the  cart.  "  Never  mind, 
Jacob  !  "  she  said ;  "  I  'm  spry  enough  yet  to  take 
care  of  you,  if  I  can't  jump  as  well  as  I  used." 

"This  missy's  trunk!"  continued  the  farmer. 
"  Let  me  see !  What 's  missy's  name  now  ? 


46  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

Huldy,  ain't  it?  Little  Huldy!  Tears  to  me 
that 's  what  they  used  to  call  ye  when  ye  was 
here  before." 

"  My  name  is  Hildegardis  Graham  !  "  said 
Hilda  in  her  most  icy  manner,  —  what  Madge 
Everton  used  to  call  her  Empress-of-Russia- 
in-the-ice-palace-with-the-mercury-sixty-degrees- 
below-zero  manner. 

"  Huldy  Gardies ! "  repeated  Farmer  Hartley. 
"Well,  that's  a  comical  name  now!  Sounds 
like  Hurdy-gurdys,  doos  n't  it  ?  Where  did 
Mis'  Graham  pick  up  a  name  like  that,  I 
wonder?  But  I  reckon  Huldy  '11  do  for  me, 
'thout  the  Gardies,  whatever  they  be." 

"Come,  father/'  said  Dame  Hartley,  "the 
child 's  tired  now,  an'  I  guess  she  wants  to  go 
upstairs.  If  you'll  take  the  trunk,  we'll  fol- 
low ye." 

The  stalwart  farmer  swung  the  heavy  trunk 
up  on  his  shoulder  as  lightly  as  if  it  were  a 
small  satchel,  and  led  the  way  into  the  house 
and  up  the  steep,  narrow  staircase. 


"  WELL,  THAT  's  A  COMICAL  NAME,  NOW 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  49 


CHAPTER  III 

THE   PRISONER   OF   DESPAIR. 

As  she  followed  in  angry  silence,  Hilda  had 
a  glimpse  through  a  half-open  door  of  a  cosey 
sitting-room;  while  another  door,  standing  fully 
open  at  the  other  end  of  the  little  hall,  showed, 
by  a  blaze  of  scarlet  tiger-lilies  and  yellow 
marigolds,  where  the  garden  lay.  And  now 
the  farmer  opened  a  door  and  set  down  the 
trunk  with  a  heavy  thump ;  and  Dame  Hart- 
ley, taking  the  girl's  hand,  led  her  forward, 
saying:  "  Here,  my  dear,  here  is  your  own 
little  room,  —  the  same  that  your  dear  mamma 
slept  in  when  she  was  here !  And  I  hope 
you  '11  be  happy  in  it,  Hilda  dear,  and  get 
all  the  good  we  wish  for  you  while  you  're 
here  !  "  Hilda  bowed  slightly,  feeling  unable 


50  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

to  speak ;  and  the  good  woman  continued : 
"You  must  be  hungry  as  well  as  tired,  trav- 
elling since  morning.  It's  near  our  dinner- 
time. Or  shall  I  bring  ye  up  something  now,  — 
a  cup  o'  tea  and  a  cooky,  eh  ?  Or  would  you 
like  solid  victuals  better  ?  " 

"  Thank  you!"  said  Hilda.  "I  am  not  at 
all  hungry ;  I  could  not  possibly  eat  any- 
thing. My  head  aches  badly ! "  she  added, 
nervously  forestalling  her  hostess's  protesta- 
tions. "  Perhaps  a  cup  of  tea  later,  thank  you ! 
I  should  like  to  rest  now.  And  I  shall  not 
want  any  dinner." 

"  Oh !  you  '11  feel  better,  dear,  when  you  have 
rested  a  bit,"  said  Dame  Hartley,  smoothing 
the  girl's  fair  hair  with  a  motherly  touch,  and 
not  seeming  to  notice  her  angry  shrinking 
away.  "  It 's  the  best  thing  you  can  do,  to 
lie  down  and  take  a  good  nap  ;  then  you  '11 
wake  up  fresh  as  a  lark,  and  ready  to  enjoy 
yourself.  Good-by,  dearie !  I  '11  bring  up 
your  tea  in  an  hour  or  so."  And  with  a  part 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  51 

ing  nod  and  smile,  the  good  woman  departed, 
leaving  Hilda,  like  the  heroine  of  a  three-vol- 
ume novel,  "  alone  with  her  despair." 

Very  tragic  indeed  the  maiden  looked  as 
she  tossed  off  her  hat  and  flung  herself  face 
downward  on  the  bed,  refusing  to  cast  even 
a  glance  at  the  cell  which  was  to  be  her  hate- 
ful prison.  "  For  of  course  I  shall  spend  my 
time  here  !  "  she  said  to  herself.  "  They  may 
send  me  here,  keep  me  here  for  years,  if  they 
will ;  but  they  cannot  make  me  associate  with 
these  people."  And  she  recalled  with  a  shud- 
der the  gnarled,  horny  hand  which  she  had 
touched  in  jumping  from  the  cart,  —  she  had 
never  felt  anything  like  it ;  the  homely  speech, 
and  the  nasal  twang  with  which  it  was  deliv- 
ered ;  the  uncouth  garb  (good  stout  butternut 
homespun !)  and  unkempt  hair  and  beard  of 
the  "  odious  old  savage,"  as  she  mentally 
named  Farmer  Hartley. 

After  all,  however,  Hilda  was  only  fifteen; 
and  after  a  few  minutes,  Curiosity  began  to 


52  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

wake ;  and  after  a  short  struggle  with  Despair, 
it  conquered,  and  she  sat  up  on  the  bed  and 
looked  about  her. 

It  was  not  a  very  dreadful  cell.  A  bright, 
clean,  fresh  little  room,  all  white  and  blue. 
White  walls,  white  bedstead,  with  oh !  such 
snowy  coverings,  white  dimity  curtains  at  the 
windows,  with  old-fashioned  ball  fringes,  a  lit- 
tle dimity-covered  toilet-table,  with  a  quaint 
looking-glass  framed  with  fat  gilt  cherubs,  all 
apparently  trying  to  fold  their  wings  in  such 
a  way  as  to  enable  them  to  get  a  peep  at  them- 
selves in  the  mirror,  and  not  one  succeed 
ing.  Then  there  was  a  low  rocking-chair,  and 
another  chair  of  the  high-backed  order,  antf 
a  tall  chest  of  drawers,  all  painted  white, 
and  a  wash-hand-stand  with  a  set  of  dark-blue 
crockery  on  it  which  made  the  victim  of  de- 
spair open  her  eyes  wide.  Hilda  had  a  touch 
of  china  mania,  and  knew  a  good  thing  when 
she  saw  it;  and  this  deep,  eight-sided  bowl, 
this  graceful  jug  with  the  quaint  gilt  dragon 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  53 

for  a  handle,  these  smaller  jugs,  boxes,  and 
dishes,  all  of  the  same  pattern,  all  with  dark- 
blue  dragons  (no  cold  "  Canton"  blue,  but  a  rich, 
splendid  ultramarine),  large  and  small,  prancing 
and  sprawling  on  a  pale  buff  ground,  —  what 
were  these  things  doing  in  the  paltry  bedroom 
of  a  common  farm-house  ?  Hilda  felt  a  new 
touch  of  indignation  at  "  these  people  "  for  pre- 
suming to  have  such  things  in  their  possession. 
When  her  keen  eyes  had  taken  in  every- 
thing, down  to  the  neat  rag-carpet  on  the  floor, 
the  girl  bethought  her  of  her  trunk.  She 
might  as  well  unpack  it.  Her  head  could 
not  ache  worse,  whatever  she  did ;  and  now 
that  that  little  imp  Curiosity  was  once 
awake,  he  prompted  her  to  wonder  what  the 
trunk  contained.  None  of  the  dresses  she 
had  been  wearing,  she  was  sure  of  that;  for 
they  were  all  hanging  safely  in  her  wardrobe 
at  home.  What  surprise  had  mamma  been 
planning  I  Well,  she  would  soon  know.  Hast- 
ily unlocking  the  trunk,  she  lifted  out  one 


64  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

tray  after  another  and  laid  them  on  the  bed. 
In  the  first  were  piles  of  snowy  collars  and 
handkerchiefs,  all  of  plain,  fine  linen,  with  no 
lace  or  embroidery ;  a  broad-brimmed  straw 
hat  with  a  simple  wreath  of  daisies  round  it; 
another  hat,  a  small  one,  of  rough  gray  felt, 
with  no  trimming  at  all,  save  a  narrow  scarlet 
ribbon  ;  a  pair  of  heavy  castor  gloves ;  a  couple 
of  white  aprons,  and  one  of  brown  holland, 
with  long  sleeves.  The  next  tray  was  filled 
with  dresses,  —  dresses  which  made  Hilda's 
eyes  open  wide  again,  as  she  laid  them  out, 
one  by  one,  at  full  length.  There  was  a  dark 
blue  gingham  with  a  red  stripe,  a  brown  ging- 
ham dotted  with  yellow  daisies,  a  couple  of 
light  calicoes,  each  with  a  tiny  figure  or  flower 
on  it,  a  white  lawn,  and  a  sailor-suit  of  rough 
blue  flannel.  All  these  dresses,  and  among 
them  all  not  an  atom  of  trimming.  No  sign 
of  an  overskirt,  no  ruffle  or  puff,  plaiting  or 
niching,  no  "  Hamburg  "  or  lace, — nothing! 
Plain  round  waists,  neatly  stitched  at  throat  and 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  55 

wrists ;  plain  round  skirts,  each  with  a  deep  hem, 
and  not  so  much  as  a  tuck  by  way  of  adornment. 

Hildegarde  drew  a  deep  breath,  and  looked 
at  the  simple  frocks  with  kindling  eyes  and 
flushing  cheeks.  These  were  the  sort  of 
dresses  that  her  mother's  servants  wore  at 
home.  Why  was  she  condemned  to  wear 
them  now,  —  she,  who  delighted  in  soft  laces 
and  dainty  embroideries  and  the  clinging  dra- 
peries which  she  thought  suited  her  slender, 
pliant  figure  so  well  ?  Was  it  a  part  of  this 
whole  scheme ;  and  was  the  object  of  the 
scheme  to  humiliate  her,  to  take  away  her 
self-respect,  her  proper  pride? 

Mechanically,  but  carefully,  as  was  her  wont, 
Hilda  hung  the  despised  frocks  in  the  closet,  put 
away  the  hats,  after  trying  them  on  and  approv- 
ing of  them,  in  spite  of  herself  ("  Of  course,"  she 
said,  "  mamma  could  not  get  an  ugly  hat,  if  she 
tried !  "),  and  then  proceeded  to  take  out  and 
lay  in  the  bureau  drawers  the  dainty  under- 
clothing which  filled  the  lower  part  of  the 


66  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

trunk.  Under  all  was  a  layer  of  books,  at 
sight  of  which  Hilda  gave  a  little  cry  of  pleas- 
ure. "Ah!"  she  said,  "I  shall  not  be  quite 
alone ;  "  for  she  saw  at  a  glance  that  here  were 
some  old  and  dear  friends.  Lovingly  she  took 
them  up,  one  by  one :  "  Romances  of  the  Mid- 
dle Ages,"  Percy's  "  Eeliques,"  "  Hereward," 
and  "  Westward,  Ho  !  "  and,  best-beloved  of 
all,  the  "  Adventures  of  Robin  Hood,"  by 
grace  of  Howard  Pyle  made  into  so  strong 
an  enchantment  that  the  heart  thrills  even  at 
sight  of  its  good  brown  cover.  And  here 
was  her  Tennyson  and  her  Longfellow,  and 
Plutarch's  Lives,  and  the  "  Book  of  Golden 
Deeds."  Verily  a  goodly  company,  such  as 
might  even  turn  a  prison  into  a  palace.  But 
what  was  this,  lying  in  the  corner,  with  her 
Bible  and  Prayer-book,  this  white  leather 
case,  with  —  ah !  Hilda  —  with  blue  forget-me- 
nots  delicately  painted  on  it  ?  Hastily  Hilda 
took  it  up  and  pressed  the  spring.  Her  moth- 
er's face  smiled  on  her !  The  clear,  sweet  eyes 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  57 

looked  lovingly  into  hers  ;  the  tender  mouth, 
which  had  never  spoken  a  harsh  or  unkind 
word,  seemed  almost  to  quiver  as  if  in  life.  So 
kind,  so  loving,  so  faithful,  so  patient,  always 
ready  to  sympathize,  to  help,  to  smile  with 
one's  joy  or  to  comfort  one's  grief,  —her  own 
dear,  dear  mother !  A  mist  came  before  the 
girl's  eyes.  She  gazed  at  the  miniature  till 
she  could  no  longer  see  it ;  and  then,  flinging 
herself  down  on  the  pillow  again,  she  burst 
into  a  passion  of  tears,  and  sobbed  and  wept 
as  if  her  heart  would  break.  No  longer  Queen 
Hildegardis,  no  longer  the  outraged  and  indig- 
nant "prisoner,"  only  Hilda, — Hilda  who 
wanted  her  mother ! 

Finally  she  sobbed  herself  to  sleep,  —  which 
was  the  very  best  thing  she  could  have  done. 
By  and  by  Dame  Hartley  peeped  softly  in,  and 
seeing  the  child  lying  "  all  in  a  heap,"  as  she 
said  to  herself,  with  her  pretty  hair  all  tumbled 
about,  brought  a  shawl  and  covered  her  care- 
fully up,  and  went  quietly  away. 


58  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

"  Pretty  lamb  !  "  said  the  good  woman. 
"  She  '11  sleep  all  'the  afternoon  now,  like 
enough,  and  wake  up  feeling  a  good  bit  better, 
—  though  I  fear  it  will  be  a  long  time  before 
your  girlie  feels  at  home  with  Nurse  Lucy, 
Miss  Mildred,  dear ! " 

Sure  enough,  Hilda  did  sleep  all  the  after- 
noon ;  and  the  soft  summer  twilight  was  closing 
round  the  farm-house  when  she  woke  with  a 
start  from  a  dream  of  home. 

"  Mamma  !  "  she  called  quickly,  raising  her- 
self from  the  bed.  For  one  moment  she  stared 
in  amazement  at  the  strange  room,  with  its  un- 
familiar furnishing ;  but  recollection  came  only 
too  quickly.  She  started  up  as  a  knock  was 
heard  at  the  door,  and  Dame  Hartley's  voice  said: 

"  Hilda,  dear,  supper  is  ready,  and  I  am  sure 
you  must  be  very  hungry.  Will  you  come 
down  with  me  ?  " 

"  Oh  !  thank  you,  presently,"  said  Hilde- 
garde,  hastily.  "  I  am  not  —  I  have  n't  changed 
my  dress  yet.  Don't  wait  for  me,  please  !  " 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  59 

"  Dear  heart,  don't  think  of  changing  your 
dress  !  "  said  Dame  Hartley.  "  You  are  a 
country  lassie  now,  you  know,  and  we  are 
plain  farm  people.  Come  down  just  as  you 
are,  there 's  a  dear !  " 

Hilda  obeyed,  only  waiting  to  wash  her 
burning  face  and  hot,  dry  hands  in  the  crystal- 
cold  water  which  she  poured  out  of  the  blue 
dragon  pitcher.  Her  hair  was  brushed  back 
and  tied  with  a  ribbon,  the  little  curls  combed 
and  patted  over  her  forehead;  and  in  a  few 
minutes  she  followed  her  hostess  down  the 
narrow  staircase,  with  a  tolerably  resigned 
expression  on  her  pretty  face.  To  tell  the 
truth,  Hilda  felt  a  great  deal  better  for  her 
long  nap  ;  moreover  she  was  a  little  curious, 
and  very,  very  hungry,  —  and  oh,  how  good 
something  did  smell ! 

Mrs.  Hartley  led  the  way  into  the  kitchen, 
as  the  chief  room  at  Hartley  Farm  was  still 
called,  though  the  cooking  was  now  done  by 
means  of  a  modern  stove  in  the  back  kitchen, 


60  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

while  the  great  fireplace,  with  the  crane  hang- 
ing over  it,  and  the  brick  oven  by  its  side, 
was  used,  as  a  rule,  only  to  warm  the  room. 
At  this  season  the  room  needed  no  warming, 
and  feathery  asparagus  crowned  the  huge 
back-log,  and  nodded  between  the  iron  fire- 
dogs.  Ah !  it  was  a  pleasant  room,  the  kitchen 
at  Hartley  Farm,  —  wide  and  roomy,  with  deep- 
seated  windows  facing  the  south  and  west ; 
with  a  floor  of  dark  oak,  which  shone  with 
more  than  a  century  of  scrubbing.  The  fire- 
place, oven,  and  cupboards  occupied  one  whole 
side  of  the  room.  Along  the  other  ran  a  high 
dresser,  whose  shelves  held  a  goodly  array  of 
polished  pewter  and  brass,  shining  glass,  and 
curious  old  china  and  crockery.  Overhead 
were  dark,  heavy  rafters,  relieved  by  the  gleam 
of  yellow  "  crook-neck  "  squashes,  bunches  of 
golden  corn,  and  long  festoons  of  dried  apples. 
In  one  window  stood  the  good  dame's  rocking- 
chair,  with  its  gay  patchwork  cushion ;  and 
her  Bible,  spectacles,  and  work-basket  lay  on 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  61 

the  window-seat  beside  it.  In  another  was  a 
huge  leather  arm-chair,  which  Hilda  rightly 
supposed  to  be  the  farmer's,  and  a  wonderful 
piece  of  furniture,  half  desk,  half  chest  of 
drawers,  with  twisted  legs  and  cupboards 
and  pigeon-holes  and  tiny  drawers,  and  I  don't 
know  what  else.  The  third  window  Hilda 
thought  was  the  prettiest  of  all.  It  faced  the 
west,  and  the  full  glory  of  sunset  was  now 
pouring  through  the  clustering  vines  which 
partly  shaded  it.  The  sash  was  open,  and  a 
white  rose  was  leaning  in  and  nodding  in  a 
friendly  way,  as  if  greeting  the  new-comer. 
A  low  chair  and  a  little  work-table,  both  of 
quaint  and  graceful  fashion,  stood  in  the  recess; 
and  on  the  window-seat  stood  eomo  flowering- 
plants  in  pretty  blue  and  white  pots. 

"  I  suppose  /  am  expected  to  sit  there  !  " 
said  Hilda  to  herself.  "As  if  I  should  sit  down 
in  a  kitchen  ! "  But  all  the  while  she  knew  in 
her  heart  of  hearts  that  this  was  one  of  the 
most  attractive  rooms  she  had  ever  seen,  and 


62  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

that  that  particular  corner  was  pretty  enough 
and  picturesque  enough  for  a  queen  to  sit  in. 
You  are  not  to  think  that  she  saw  all  these 
things  at  the  first  glance  ;  far  from  it.  There 
was  something  else  in  the  room  which  claimed 
the  immediate  attention  of  our  heroine,  and 
that  was  a  square  oak  table,  shining  like  a 
mirror,  and  covered  with  good  things,  —  cold 
chicken,  eggs  and  bacon,  golden  butter  and 
honey,  a  great  brown  loaf  on  a  wonderful 
carved  wooden  platter,  delicate  rolls  piled  high 
on  a  shallow  blue  dish,  and  a  portly  glass  jug 
filled  with  rich,  creamy  milk.  Here  was  a 
pleasant  sight  for  a  hungry  heroine  of  fifteen  ! 
But  alas !  at  the  head  of  this  inviting  table  sat 
Farmer  Hartley,  the  "  odious  savage,"  in  his 
rough  homespun  coat,  with  his  hair  still  very 
far  from  smooth  (though  indeed  he  had  brushed 
it,  and  the  broad,  horny  hands  were  scrupu- 
lously clean).  With  a  slight  shudder  Hilda 
took  the  seat  which  Dame  Hartley  offered 
her. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  63 

P 

"Well,  Huldy,"  said  the  farmer,  looking  up 
from  his  eggs  and  bacon  with  a  cheery  smile, 
"  here  ye  be,  eh  I  Rested  after  yer  journey, 
be  ye!" 

"  Yes,  thank  you  !  "  said  Hilda,  coldly. 

"  Have  some  chick'n  ! "  he  continued,  put- 
ting nearly  half  a  chicken  on  her  plate.  "  An7 
a  leetle  bacon,  jes'  ter  liven  it  up,  hey  ?  That 's 
right !  It 's  my  idee  thet  most  everythin'  's 
the  better  for  a  bit  o'  bacon,  unless  it's  soft 
custard.  I  d'  'no  ez  thet  \id  go  with  it  pi  tickler. 
Haw  !  haw ! " 

Hilda  kept  her  eyes  on  her  plate,  determined 
to  pay  no  attention  to  the  vulgar  pleasantries 
of  this  unkempt  monster.  It  was  hard  enough 
to  eat  with  a  steel  fork,  without  being  further 
tormented.  But  the  farmer  seemed  determined 
to  drag  her  into  conversation. 

"How's  yer  ha-alth  in  gineral,  Huldy  ? 
Pooty  rugged,  be  ye?  Seems  to  me  ye  look 
kin'  o'  peaked." 

"  I  am  quite  well !  "     It  was  Queen  Hilde 


04  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

garde  who  spoke  now,  in  icy  tones;  but  her 
coldness  had  no  effect  on  her  loquacious  host. 

"  I  s'pose  ye  '11  want  ter  lay  by  a  day  or 
two,  till  ye  git  used  ter  things,  like ;  but  then 
I  sh'll  want  ye  ter  take  holt.  We're  short- 
handed  now,  and  a  smart,  likely  gal  kin  be  a 
sight  o'  help.  There's  the  cows  ter  milk  — 
the'  ain't  but  one  o'  them  thet's  real  ugly, 
and  she  only  kicks  with  the  off  hind-leg;  so 
Vs  easy  enough  ter  look  out  for  her." 

Hilda  looked  up  in  horror  and  amazement, 
and  caught  a  twinkle  in  the  farmer's  eye  which 
told  her  that  he  was  quizzing  her.  The  angry 
blood  surged  up  even  to  the  roots  of  her  hair ; 
but  she  disdained  to  reply,  and  continued  to 
crumble  her  bread  in  silence. 

11  Father,  what  ails  you?"  said  kind  Dame 
Hartley.  "  Why  can't  you  let  the  child  alone  ? 
She 's  tired  yet,  and  she  does  n't  understand 
your  joking  ways.  —  Don't  you  mind  the 
farmer,  dear,  one  bit ;  his  heart 's  in  the  right 
place,  but  he  do  love  to  tease." 


QUEEN  HILDEGAKDE.  65 

But  the  good  woman's  gentle  words  were 
harder  to  bear,  at  that  moment,  than  her  hus- 
band's untimely  jesting.  Hilda's  heart  swelled 
high.  She  felt  that  in  another  moment  the 
tears  must  come  ;  and  murmuring  a  word  of 
excuse,  she  hastily  pushed  back  her  chair  and 
left  the  room. 

An  hour  after,  Hilda  was  sitting  by  the  win- 
dow of  her  own  room,  looking  listlessly  out  on 
the  soft  summer  evening,  and  listening  to  the 
melancholy  cry  of  the  whippoorwill,  when 
she  heard  voices  below.  The  farmer  was  sit- 
ting with  his  pipe  in  the  vine-clad  porch  just 
under  the  window  ;  and  now  his  wife  had  joined 
him,  after  "  redding  up"  the  kitchen,  and  giv- 
ing orders  for  the  next  morning  to  the  tidy 
maidservant. 

"Well,  Marm  Lucy,"  said  Farmer  Hartley's 
gruff,  hearty  voice,  "  now  thet  you  have  your 
fine  bird,  I  sh'd  like  to  know  what  you're 
a-goin'  to  do  with  her.  She's  as  pretty  as  a 
pictur,  but  a  stuck-up  piece  as  ever  I  sea 


66  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

Don't  favor  her  mother,  nor  father  either,  as 
I  can  see." 

"  Poor  child !  "  said  Dame  Hartley,  with  a 
sigh,  "  I  fear  she  will  have  a  hard  time  of  it 
before  she  comes  to  herself.  But  I  promised 
Miss  Mildred  that  I  would  try  my  best;  and 
you  said  you  would  help  me,  Jacob." 

"  So  I  did,  and  so  I  will ! "  replied  the 
farmer.  "  But  tell  me  agin,  what  was  Miss 
Mildred's  idee?  I  got  the  giner'l  drift  of  it, 
but  I  can't  seem  to  put  it  together  exactly. 
T  did  n't  s'pose  the  gal  was  this  kind,  anyhow." 

"She  told  me,"  Dame  Hartley  said,  "that 
this  child  —  her  only  one,  Jacob !  you  know 
what  that  means  —  was  getting  into  ways 
she  didn't  like.  Going  about  with  other  city 
misses,  who  cared  for  nothing  but  pleasure, 
and  who  flattered  and  petted  her  because  of 
her  beauty  and  her  pretty,  proud  ways  (and 
maybe  because  of  her  father's  money  too ; 
though  Miss  Mildred  did  n't  say  that),  she 
was  getting  to  think  too  much  of  herself,  and 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  67 

to  care  too  much  for  fine  dresses  and  sweet- 
meats and   idle  chatter  about  nothing  at  all." 
(How  Hilda's  cheeks   burned    as   she  remem- 
bered the  long  seances  in   her  room,  she  on 
the  sofa,  and  Madge  in  the  arm-chair,  with  the 
box  of  Huyler's  or  Maillard's  best  always  be- 
tween them !     Had  they  ever  talked  of  any- 
thing   "worth   the  while,"  as  mamma   would 
say?    She  remembered  mamma's  coming  in  up- 
on them  once  or  twice,  with  her  sweet,  grave 
face.     She  remembered,  too,  a  certain  uneasy 
feeling  she  had  had  for  a  moment  —  only  for 
a  moment  —  when  the  door  closed  behind  her 
mother.     But   Madge  had  laughed,  and   said, 
"Isn't    your    mother    perfectly  sweet?     She 
doesn't  mind  a  bit,  does  she!"  and  she  had 
answered,  "  Oh,  no ! "  and  had  forgotten  it  in 
the  account  of  Helen   Mclvor's  new  bonnet.) 
"  And  then  Miss  Mildred  said,   1 1  had  meant 
to  take  her  into  the  country  with  me  this  sum- 
mer, and  try  to  show  the  child  what  life  really 
means,  and  let  her  learn  to  know  her  brothers 


68  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

and  sisters  in  the  different  walks  of  this  life, 
and  how  they  live,  and  what  they  do.  I  want 
her  to  see  for  herself  what  a  tiny  bit  of  the 
world,  and  what  a  silly,  useless,  gilded  bit,  is 
the  little  set  of  fashionable  girls  whom  she  has 
chosen  for  her  friends.  But  this  sudden  call 
to  California  has  disarranged  all  my  plans.  I 
cannot  take  her  with  me  there,  for  the  child  is 
not  well,  and  country  air  and  quiet  are  ne- 
cessary for  her  bodily  health.  And  so,  Nurse 
Lucy/  she  says,  1 1  want  you  to  take  my  child, 
and  do  by  her  as  you  did  by  me ! ' 

" '  Oh !  Miss  Mildred/  I  said,  l  do  you  think 
she  can  be  happy  or  contented  here  ?  I  '11  do 
my  best ;  I  'm  sure  you  know  that !  But  if 
she 's  as  you  say,  she  is  a  very  different  child 
to  what  you  were,  Miss  Mildred  dear.' 

"  *  She  will  not  be  happy  at  first,'  says  Miss 
Mildred.  '  But  she  has  a  really  noble  nature, 
Nurse  Lucy,  and  I  am  very  sure  that  it  will 
triumph  over  the  follies  and  faults  which  are 
on  the  outside/ 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  69 

"  And  then  she  kissed  me,  the  dear !  and 
came  up  and  helped  me  set  the  little  room  to 
rights,  and  kissed  the  pillows,  sweet  lady,  and 
cried  over  them  a  bit.  Ah  me  !  't  is  hard  part- 
ing from  our  children,  even  for  a  little  while, 
that  it  is." 

Dame  Hartley  paused  and  sighed.  Then 
she  said:  "And  so,  here  the  child  is,  for  good 
or  for  ill,  and  we  must  do  our  very  best  by 
her,  Jacob,  you  as  well  as  I.  What  ailed  you 
to-night,  to  tease  her  so  at  supper  ?  I  thought 
shame  of  you,  my  man." 

"  Well,  Marm  Lucy,"  said  the  farmer,  "  I 
don't  hardly  know  what  ailed  me.  But  I  tell 
ye  what,  't  was  either  laugh  or  cry  for  me,  and 
I  thought  laughin'  was  better  nor  t'  other.  To 
see  that  gal  a-settin'  there,  with  her  pretty 
head  tossed  up,  and  her  fine,  mincin'  ways, 
as  if  't  was  an  honor  to  the  vittles  to  put  them 
in  her  mouth ;  and  to  think  of  my  maid  — " 
He  stopped  abruptly,  and  rising  from  the  bench, 
began  to  pace  up  and  down  the  garden-path. 


70  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

His  wife  joined  him  after  a  moment,  and  the 
two  walked  slowly  to  and  fro  together,  talking 
in  low  tones,  while  the  soft  summer  darkness 
gathered  closer  and  closer,  and  the  pleasant 
night-sounds  woke,  cricket  and  katydid  and 
the  distant  whippoorwill  filling  the  air  with 
a  cheerful  murmur. 

Long,  long  sat  Hildegarde  at  the  window, 
thinking  more  deeply  than  she  had  ever  thought 
In  her  life  before.  Different  passions  held  her 
young  mind  in  control  while  she  sat  motionless, 
gazing  into  the  darkness  with  wide-open  eyes. 
First  anger  burned  high,  flooding  her  cheek 
with  hot  blushes,  making  her  temples  throb 
and  her  hands  clench  themselves  in  a  passion 
of  resentment.  But  to  this  succeeded  a  mood 
of  deep  sadness,  of  despair,  as  she  thought; 
though  at  fifteen  one  knows  not,  happily,  the 
meaning  of  despair. 

Was  this  all  true  ?  Was  she  no  better,  no 
wiser,  than  the  silly  girls  of  her  set  ?  She  had 
always  felt  herself  so  far  above  them  mentally ; 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  71 

they  had  always  so  frankly  acknowledged  her 
supremacy ;  she  knew  she  was  considered  a 
"  very  superior  girl : "  was  it  true  that  her 
only  superiority  lay  in  possessing  powers  which 
she  never  chose  to  exert  ?  And  then  came  the 
bitter  thought:  "What  have  I  ever  done  to 
prove  myself  wiser  than  they  ? "  Alas  for 
the  answer !  Hilda  hid  her  face  in  her  hands, 
and  it  was  shame  instead  of  anger  that  now 
sent  the  crimson  flush  over  her  cheeks.  Her 
mother  despised  her  !  Her  mother  —  perhaps 
her  father  too  !  They  loved  her,  of  course ;  the 
tender  love  had  never  failed,  and  would  never 
fail.  They  were  proud  of  her  too,  in  a  way. 
And  yet  they  despised  her ;  they  must  despise 
her  !  How  could  they  help  it  ?  Her  mother, 
whose  days  were  a  ceaseless  round  of  work 
for  others,  without  a  thought  of  herself;  her 
father,  active,  energetic,  business-like,  —  what 
must  her  life  seem  to  them  ?  How  was  it  that 
she  had  never  seen,  never  dreamed  before, 
that  she  was  an  idle,  silly,  frivolous  girl! 


72  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

The  revelation  came  upon  her  with  stunning 
force.  These  people  too,  these  coarse  coun- 
try people,  despised  her  and  laughed  at  her  I 
The  thought  was  more  than  she  could  bear. 
She  sprang  up,  feeling  as  if  she  were  suffocat- 
ing, and  walked  up  and  down  the  little  room 
with  hurried  and  nervous  steps.  Then  sud- 
denly there  came  into  her  mind  one  sentence  of 
her  mother's  that  Dame  Hartley  had  repeated  : 
"  Hilda  has  a  really  noble  nature  — "  What 
was  the  rest?  Something  about  triumphing 
over  the  faults  and  follies  which  lay  outside. 
Had  her  mother  really  said  that  I  Did  she  be- 
lieve, trust  in,  her  silly  daughter!  The  girl 
stood  still,  with  clasped  hands  and  bowed  head. 
The  tumult  within  her  seemed  to  die  away, 
and  in  its  place  something  was  trembling  into 
life,  the  like  of  which  Hilda  Graham  had  never 
known,  never  thought  of,  before;  faint  and 
timid  at  first,  but  destined  to  gain  strength 
and  to  grow  from  that  one  moment,  —  a  wish, 
a  hope,  finally  a  resolve. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  73 


CHAPTER  IV. 

THE    NEW    HILDA. 

THE  morning  came  laughing  into  Hilda's 
room,  and  woke  her  with  such  a  flash  of  sun- 
shine and  trill  of  bird-song  that  she  sprang  up 
smiling,  whether  she  would  or  no.  Indeed, 
she  felt  happier  than  she  could  have  believed  to 
be  possible.  The  anger,  the  despair,  even  the 
self-humiliation  and  anguish  of  repentance,  were 
gone  with  the  night.  Morning  was  here,  — 
a  new  day  and  a  new  life.  "  Here  is  the  new 
Hildegarde ! "  she  cried  as  she  plunged  her  face 
into  the  clear,  sparkling  water.  "  Do  you  see 
me,  blue  dragons?  Shake  paws,  you  foolish 
creatures,  and  don't  stand  ramping  and  glaring 
at  each  other  in  that  way !  Here  is  a  new  girl 
come  to  see  you.  The  old  one  was  a  minx,  — 


74  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

do  you  hear,  dragons  ?  "  The  dragons  heard, 
but  were  too  polite  to  say  anything ;  and  as 
for  not  ramping,  why  they  had  ramped  and 
glared  for  fifty  years,  and  had  no  idea  of  mak- 
ing a  change  at  their  time  of  life. 

The  gilt  cherubs  round  the  little  mirror  were 
more  amiable,  and  smiled  cheerfully  at  Hilda 
as  she  brushed  and  braided  her  hair,  and  put 
on  the  pretty  blue  gingham  frock.  "  We  have 
no  clothes  ourselves,"  they  seemed  to  say,  "but 
we  appreciate  good  ones  when  we  see  them  !  " 
Indeed,  the  frock  fitted  to  perfection.  "  And 
after  all,"  said  the  new  Hilda  as  she  twirled 
round  in  front  of  the  glass,  "  what  is  the  use 
of  an  overskirt  ?  "  after  which  astounding  utter- 
ance, this  young  person  proceeded  to  do  some- 
thing still  more  singular.  After  a  moment's 
hesitation  she  drew  out  one  of  the  white  aprons 
which  she  had  scornfully  laid  in  the  very  low- 
est drawer  only  twelve  hours  before,  tied  it 
round  her  slender  waist,  and  then,  with  an 
entirely  satisfied  little  nod  at  the  mirror,  she 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  75 

tripped  lightly  downstairs  and  into  the  kitchen. 
Dame  Hartley  was  washing  dishes  at  the 
farther  end  of  the  room,  in  her  neat  little 
cedar  dish- tub,  with  her  neat  little  mop ;  and 
she  nearly  dropped  the  blue  and  white  plat- 
ter from  her  hands  when  she  heard  Hilda's 
cheerful  "  Good  morning,  Nurse  Lucy!"  and, 
turning,  saw  the  girl  smiling  like  a  vision  of 
morning. 

"  My  dear,"  she  cried,  "  sure  I  thought  yoy 
were  fast  asleep  still.  I  was  going  up  to 
wake  you  as  soon  as  I  had  done  my  dishes, 
And  did  you  sleep  well  your  first  night  at 
Hartley's  Glen!" 

"  Oh,  yes  !  I  slept  very  sound  indeed,"  said 
Hilda,  lightly.  And  then,  coming  close  up 
to  Dame  Hartley,  she  said  in  an  altered  tone, 
and  with  heightened  color:  "Nurse  Lucy,  I  did 
not  behave  well  last  night,  and  I  want  to  tell 
you  that  I  am  sorry.  I  am  not  like  mamma, 
but  I  want  to  grow  a  little  like  her,  if  I  can, 
and  you  must  help  me,  please !  " 


76  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

Her  voice  faltered,  and  good  Nurse  Lucy, 
laying  down  her  mop,  took  the  slender  figure 
in  her  motherly  arms,  from  which  it  did  not 
now  shrink  away. 

"My  lamb!"  she  said;  "  Miss  Mildred's 
own  dear  child  !  You  look  liker  your  blessed 
mother  this  minute  than  I  ever  thought  you 
would.  Help  you  ?  That  I  will,  with  all  my 
heart !  —  though  I  doubt  if  you  need  much  help, 
coming  to  yourself  so  soon  as  this.  Well, 
well!" 

"  Coming  to  herself !  "  It  was  the  same  phrase 
the  good  dame  had  used  the  night  before,  and 
it  struck  Hilda's  mind  with  renewed  force. 
Yes,  she  had  come  to  herself,  —  her  new  self, 
which  was  to  be  so  different  from  the  old.  How 
strange  it  all  was  !  What  should  she  do  now, 
to  prove  the  new  Hilda  and  try  her  strength  ? 
Something  must  be  done  at  once  ;  the  time  for 
folded  hands  and  listless  revery  was  gone  by. 

"Shall  I  —  may  I  help  you  to  get  break- 
fast ?  "  she  asked  aloud,  rather  timidly. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  77 

"  Breakfast  ?  Bless  you,  honey,  we  had  break- 
fast two  hours  ago.  We  farmers  are  early 
birds,  you  know.  But  you  can  lay  a  plate 
and  napkin  for  yourself,  if  you  like,  while  I 
drop  a  couple  of  fresh  eggs  and  toast  a  bit  of 
bacon  for  you.  Do  you  like  bacon,  then  ?  " 

Rather  disappointed  at  the  failure  of  her 
first  attempt  to  be  useful,  Hilda  laid  the  snowy 
napkin  on  the  shining  table,  and  chose  a  pretty 
blue  and  white  plate  from  the  well-stocked 
shelves  of  the  dresser. 

"  And  now  open  that  cupboard,  my  lamb," 
said  her  hostess,  "  and  you  '11  find  the  loaf,  and 
a  piece  of  honeycomb,  and  some  raspberries. 
I  '11  bring  a  pat  of  butter  and  some  milk  from 
the  dairy,  where  it 's  all  cool  for  you." 

"  Raspberries !"  cried  Hilda.  "  Oh,  how 
delightful!  Why,  the  dew  is  still  on  them. 
Nurse  Lucy !  And  how  pretty  they  look,  with 
the  cool  green  leaves  round  them !  " 

"Ay!"  said  the  good  woman,  "Jacob 
brought  them  in  not  ten  minutes  ago.  He 


78  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

thought   you  would  like  them  fresh  from  the 
bushes." 

Hilda's  cheek  rivalled  the  raspberries  in 
bloom  as  she  bent  over  them  to  inhale  their 
fragrance.  The  farmer  had  picked  these  him- 
self for  her,  —  had  probably  left  his  work  to  do 
so ;  and  she  had  called  him  an  odious  old  sav- 
age, and  an  unkempt  monster,  and  —  oh  dear ! 
decidedly,  the  old  Hilda  was  a  very  disagree- 
able girl.  But  here  were  the  eggs,  each  blush- 
ing behind  its  veil  of  white,  and  here  was  the 
milk,  and  a  little  firm  nugget  in  a  green  leaf, 
which  was  too  beautiful  to  be  butter,  and  yet 
too  good  to  be  anything  else.  And  the  new 
Hilda  might  eat  her  breakfast  with  a  thankful 
heart,  and  did  so.  The  white  rose  nodded  to 
her  from  the  west  window  much  more  cordially 
than  it  had  done  the  night  before.  It  even 
brought  out  a  little  new  bud  to  take  a  peep  at 
the  girl  who  now  smiled,  instead  of  scowling 
across  the  room.  The  vines  rustled  and  shook, 
and  two  bright  black  eyes  peeped  between  the 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  79 

leaves.  "  Tweet !  "  said  the  robin,  ruffling  his 
scarlet  waistcoat  a  little.  "  When  you  have 
quite  finished  your  worms,  you  may  come  out, 
and  I  will  show  you  the  garden.  There  are 
cherries ! "  and  away  he  flew,  while  Hilda 
laughed  and  clapped  her  hands,  for  she  had 
understood  every  word. 

"  May  I  go  out  into  the  garden  ?  "  she  asked, 
when  she  had  finished  her  breakfast  and  taken 
her  first  lesson  in  dish-washing,  in  spite  of 
Dame  Hartley's  protest.  "And  isn't  there 
something  I  can  do  there,  please  !  I  want  to 
work ;  I  don't  want  to  be  idle  any  longer." 

"Well,  honey/'  replied  the  dame,  "there 
are  currants  to  pick,  if  you  like  such  work  as 
that.  I  am  going  to  make  jelly  to-morrow; 
and  if  you  like  to  begin  the  picking,  I  will 
come  and  help  you  when  my  bread  is  out  of 
the  oven." 

Gladly  Hilda  flew  up  to  her  room  for  the 
broad-leaved  hat  with  the  daisy- wreath ;  and 
then,  taking  the  wide,  shallow  basket  which 


80  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

Dame  Hartley  handed  her,  she  fairly  danced 
out  of  the  door,  over  the  bit  of  green,  and 
into  the  garden. 

Ah !  the  sweet,  heartsorae  country  garden 
that  this  was,  —  the  very  thought  of  it  is  a  rest 
and  a  pleasure.  Straight  down  the  middle 
ran  a  little  gravel  path,  with  a  border  of  fra- 
grant clove-pinks  on  either  side,  planted  so 
close  together  that  one  saw  only  the  masses 
of  pale  pink  blossoms  resting  on  their  bed  of 
slender  silvery  leaves.  And  over  the  border ! 
Oh  the  wealth  of  flowers,  the  blaze  of  crim- 
son and  purple  and  gold,  the  bells  that  swung, 
the  spires  that  sprang  heavenward,  the  clus- 
ters that  nodded  and  whispered  together  in 
the  morning  breeze !  Here  were  ranks  upon 
ranks  of  silver  lilies,  drawn  up  in  military 
fashion,  and  marshalled  by  clumps  of  splendid 
tiger-lilies,  —  the  drum-majors  of  the  flower- 
garden.  Here  were  roses  of  every  sort,  blush- 
ing and  paling,  glowing  in  gold  and  mantling 
in  crimson.  And  the  carnations  showed  their 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  81 

delicate  fringes,  and  the  geraniums  blazed, 
and  the  heliotrope  languished,  and  the  "  Puri- 
tan pansies  "  lifted  their  sweet  faces  and  looked 
gravely  about,  as  if  reproving  the  other  flowers 
for  their  frivolity ;  while  shy  Mignonette, 
thinking  herself  well  hidden  behind  her  green 
leaves,  still  made  her  presence  known  by  the 
exquisite  perfume  which  all  her  gay  sisters 
would  have  been  glad  to  borrow. 

Over  all  went  the  sunbeams,  rollicking  and 
playing ;  and  through  all  went  Hildegarde, 
her  heart  filled  with  a  new  delight,  feeling  as 
if  she  had  never  lived  before.  She  talked  to 
the  flowers.  She  bent  and  kissed  the  damask 
rose,  which  was  too  beautiful  to  pluck.  She 
put  her  cheek  against  a  lily's  satin-silver  petals, 
and  started  when  an  angry  bee  flew  out  and 
buzzed  against  her  nose.  But  where  were  the 
currant-bushes  ?  Ah  !  there  they  were,  —  a 
row  of  stout  green  bushes,  forming  a  hedge  at 
the  bottom  of  the  garden. 

Hilda  fell  busily  to  work,  filling  her  basket 


82  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

with  the  fine,  ruddy  clusters.  "  How  beautiful 
they  are!"  she  thought,  holding  up  a  bunch 
so  that  the  sunlight  shone  through  it.  "And 
these  pale,  pinky  golden  ones,  which  show  all 
the  delicate  veins  inside.  Really,  I  must  eat 
this  fat  bunch ;  they  are  like  fairy  grapes ! 
The  butler  fay  comes  and  picks  a  cluster 
every  evening,  and  carries  it  on  a  lily-leaf  plat- 
ter to  the  queen  as  she  sits  supping  on  honey- 
cakes  and  dew  under  the  damask  rose-bush." 

While  fingers  and  fancy  were  thus  busily 
employed,  Hilda  was  startled  by  the  sound 
of  a  voice  which  seemed  to  come  from  beyond 
the  currant-bushes,  very  near  her.  She  stood 
quite  still  and  listened. 

"A-g,  ag,"  said  the  voice;  "g-l-o-m,  glom, 
—  agglom ;  e-r  er,  —  agglomer ;  a-t-e,  ate,  — 
agglomerate."  There  was  a  pause,  and  then  it 
began  again :  "  A-g,  ag ;  g-l-o-m,  glom,"  etc. 

Hilda's  curiosity  was  now  thoroughly  aroused ; 
and  laying  down  her  basket,  she  cautiously 
parted  the  leaves  and  peeped  through.  She 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  83 

hardly  knew  what  she  expected  to  see.  What 
she  did  see  was  a  boy  about  ten  years  old,  in 
a  flannel  shirt  and  a  pair  of  ragged  breeches, 
busily  weeding  a  row  of  carrots ;  for  this  was 
the  vegetable  garden,  which  lay  behind  the 
currant-bushes.  On  one  side  of  the  boy  was 
a  huge  heap  of  weeds  ;  on  the  other  lay  a  tat- 
tered book,  at  which  he  glanced  from  time  to 
time,  though  without  leaving  his  work.  "  A-n, 
an,"  he  was  now  saying ;  "  t-i,  ti,  —  anti ;  c-i-p, 
cip,  —  anticip  ;  a-t-e,  ate,  —  antics-ate.  '  To 
expect.'  Well !  that  is  a  good  un.  Why  can't 
they  say  expect,  'stead  o'  breakin7  their  jawsen 
with  a  word  like  that  ?  Antics-ate  !  Well,  I 
swan !  I  hope  he  enjoyed  eatin'  it.  Slid 
think  Vd  ha  giv7  him  the  dyspepsy,  anyhow." 

At  this  Hilda  could  contain  herself  no  longer, 
but  burst  into  a  merry  peal  of  laughter;  and 
as  the  boy  started  up  with  staring  eyes  and 
open  mouth,  she  pushed  the  bushes  aside  and 
came  towards  him.  "  I  am  sorry  I  laughed," 
she  said,  not  unkindly.  "  You  said  that  so 


84  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

funnily,  I  could  n't  help  it.  You  did  not  pro- 
nounce the  word  quite  right,  either.  It  is  an- 
ticipate, not  antics-ate." 

The  boy  looked  half  bewildered  and  half 
grateful.  "  Anticipate  !  "  he  repeated,  slowly. 
11  Thanky,  naiss !  it's  a  onreasonable  sort  o' 
word,  'pears  ter  me."  And  he  bent  .over  his 
carrots  again. 

But  Hilda  did  not  return  to  her  currant- 
picking.  She  was  interested  in  this  freckled, 
tow-headed  boy,  wrestling  with  four-syllabled 
words  while  he  worked. 

"  Why  do  you  study  your  lesson  out  here  !  " 
she  asked,  sitting  down  on  a  convenient  stump, 
and  refreshing  herself  with  another  bunch  of 
white  currants.  "  Could  n't  you  learn  it  better 
indoors  ?  " 

"  Dunno  !"  replied  the  boy.  "Ain't  got  no 
time  ter  stay  indoors." 

"You  might  learn  it  in  the  evening!"  sug- 
gested Hilda. 

"  I  can't  keep  awake  evenin's,"  said  the  boy, 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  85 

simply.  "Hev  to  be  up  at  four  o'clock  to  let 
the  cows  out,  an'  I  git  sleepy,  come  night.  An' 
I  like  it  here  too,"  he  added.  "  I  can  1'arn 
7em  easier,  weeding  take  ten  weeds  to  a  word." 

"Ten  weeds  to  a  word?"  repeated  Hilda, 
"  I  don't  understand  you." 

"Why,"  said  the  boy,  looking  up  at  her 
with  wide-open  blue  eyes,  "I  take  a  good 
stiff  word  (I  like  'em  stiff,  like  that  an  —  an- 
^cipate  feller),  and  I  says  it  over  and  over 
while  I  pull  up  ten  weeds,  —  big  weeds,  o' 
course,  pusley  and  sich.  I  don't  count  chick- 
weed.  By  the  time  the  weeds  is  up,  I  know 
the  word.  I've  larned  fifteen  this  spell !  "  and 
he  glanced  proudly  at  his  tattered  spelling-book 
as  he  tugged  away  at  a  mammoth  root  of  pus- 
ley,  which  stretched  its  ugly,  sprawling  length 
of  fleshy  arms  on  every  side. 

Hilda  watched  him  for  some  moments,  many 
new  thoughts  revolving  in  her  head.  How 
many  country  boys  were  there  who  taught 
themselves  in  this  way?  How  many,  among 


86  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

the  clever  girls  at  Mademoiselle  Haut-ton's 
school,  had  this  sort  of  ambition  to  learn,  of 
pride  in  learning  ?  Had  she,  the  best  scholar 
in  her  class,  had  it  ?  She  had  always  known 
her  lessons,  because  they  were  easy  for  her  to 
learn,  because  she  had  a  quick  eye  and  ear,  and 
a  good  memory.  She  could  not  help  learning, 
Mademoiselle  said.  But  this,  —  this  was  some- 
thing different ! 

"What  is  your  name?"  she  asked,  with  a 
new  interest. 

"  Bubble  Chirk,"  replied  the  freckled  boy, 
with  one  eye  on  his  book,  and  the  other  meas- 
uring a  tall  spire  of  pigweed,  towards  which 
he  stretched  his  hand. 

"  WHAT  !  "  cried  Hilda,  in  amazement. 

"  Bubble  Chirk  !  "  said  the  boy.  "  Kin'  o' 
curus  name,  ain't  it  ?  The  hull  of  it 's  Zerub- 
babel  Chirk ;  but  most  folks  ain't  got  time  to 
say  all  that.  It  trips  you  up,  too,  sort  o\ 
Babble  's  what  they  call  me ;  'nless  it 's  Bub." 

The  contrast  between  the  boy's  earnest  and 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  87 

rather  pathetic  face,  and  his  absurdly  volatile 
name,  was  almost  too  much  for  Hilda's  gravity. 
But  she  checked  the  laugh  which  rose  to  her 
lips,  and  asked:  "  Don't  you  go  to  school  at 
all,  Bubble  ?  It  is  a  pity  that  you  should  n't, 
when  you  are  so  fond  of  study." 

"  Gin'lly  go  for  a  spell  in  the  winter,"  re- 
plied Bubble.  "  They  ain't  no  school  in  sum- 
mer, y'  know.  Boys  hes  to  work,  round  here. 
Mam  ain't  got  nobody  but  me  'n  Pink,  sence 
father  died." 

"Who  is  Pink?  "  asked  Hilda,  gently. 

"My  sister,"  replied  Bubble.  "Thet  ain't 
her  real  name,  nuther.  Mam  hed  her  christ- 
ened Pinkrosia,  along  o'  her  bein'  so  fond  oj 
roses,  Mam  was ;  but  we  don't  call  her  nothin* 
only  Pink." 

"Pink  Chirk!"  repeated  Hilda  to  herself. 
"What  a  name  !  What  can  a  girl  be  like  who 
is  called  Pink  Chirk  ?  " 

But  now  Bubble  seemed  to  think  that  it  was 
his  turn  to  ask  questions.  "  I  reckon  you  're 


88  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

the  gal  thet  's  come  to  stay  at  Mr.  Hartley's  ?  " 
he  said  in  an  interrogative  tone. 

Hilda's  brow  darkened  for  a  moment  at  the 
word  "  gal,"  which  came  with  innocent  frank- 
ness from  the  lips  of  the  ragged  urchin  before 
her.  But  the  next  moment  she  remembered 
that  it  was  only  the  old  Hilda  who  cared  about 
such  trifles ;  so  she  answered  pleasantly  enough : 

"  Yes,  I  am  staying  at  Mr.  Hartley's.  I 
only  came  yesterday,  but  I  am  to  stay  some 
time." 

"  And  what  mought  your  name  be  ? "  in- 
quired Master  Chirk. 

"Hildegardis  Graham."  It  was  gently  said, 
in  a  very  different  voice  from  that  which  had 
answered  Farmer  Hartley  in  the  same  words 
the  night  before ;  but  it  made  a  startling  im- 
pression on  Bubble  Chirk. 

"  Hildy  — "  he  began;  and  then,  giving  it 
up,  he  said  simply :  "  Well,  I  swan !  Do  ye 
kerry  all  that  round  with  ye  all  the  time  ?  " 

Hilda  laughed  outright  at  this. 


"WELL,  I  SWAN!" 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  91 

"  Oh,  no  !  "  she  said  ;  "I  am  called  Hilda 
generally." 

"But  you  kin  spell  the  hull  of  it!"  asked 
the  boy  anxiously. 

"  Yes,  certainly  !  "  Bubble's  eager  look  sub- 
sided into  one  of  mingled  awe  and  admiration. 

"  Reckon  ye  must  know  a  heap,"  he  said, 
rather  wistfully.  "  Wish  't  I  did  ! " 

Hilda  looked  at  him  for  a  moment  without 
speaking.  Her  old  self  was  whispering  to  her. 
"  Take  care  what  you  do  ! "  it  said.  "  This 
is  a  coarse,  common,  dirty  boy.  He  smells  of 
the  stable ;  his  hair  is  full  of  hay ;  his  hands 
are  beyond  description.  What  have  you  in 
common  with  such  a  creature  f  He  has  not 
even  the  sense  to  know  that  he  is  your  infe- 
rior." "I  don't  care!"  said  the  new  Hilda. 
"  I  know  what  mamma  would  do  if  she  were 
here,  and  I  shall  do  it,  —  or  try  to  do  it,  at  least. 
Hold  your  tongue,  you  supercilious  minx  !  " 

"  Bubble,"  she  said  aloud,  "  would  you  like 
me  to  teach  you  a  little,  while  I  am  here?  I 


92  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

think  perhaps  I  could  help  you  with  your 
lessons." 

The  boy  looked  up  with  a  sudden  flash  in 
his  blue  eyes,  while  his  face  grew  crimson  with 
pleasure. 

" Would  I  like  it?"  he  cried  eagerly.  But 
the  next  moment  the  glow  faded,  and  he  looked 
awkwardly  down  at  his  ragged  book  and  still 
more  ragged  clothes.  "  Guess  I  ain't  no  time 
to  Tarn  that  way,"  he  muttered  in  confusion. 

"Nonsense!"  said  Hilda,  decidedly.  "There 
must  be  some  hour  in  the  day  when  you  can  be 
spared.  I  shall  speak  to  Farmer  Hartley  about 
it.  Don't  look  at  your  clothes,  you  foolish 
boy,"  she  continued,  with  a  touch  of  Queen 
Hildegardis'  quality,  yet  with  a  kindly  intona- 
tion which  was  new  to  that  potentate.  "  I  am 
not  going  to  teach  your  clothes.  You  are  not 
your  clothes ! "  cried  Her  Majesty,  wondering 
at  herself,  and  a  little  flushed  with  her  recent 
victory  over  the  "  minx."  The  boy's  face 
brightened  again. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  93 

"That's  so!"  he  said,  joyously;  "  that 's 
what  Pink  says.  But  I  did  n't  s'pose  you  'd 
think  so,"  he  added,  glancing  bashfully  at  the 
delicate,  high-bred  face,  with  its  flashing  eyes 
and  imperial  air. 

"  I  do  think  so  ! "  said  Hilda.  "  So  that  is 
settled,  and  we  will  have  our  first  lesson  to- 
morrow. What  would  you  —  " 

"Hilda!  Hilda!  where  are  you,  dear?" 
called  Dame  Hartley's  voice  from  the  other 
side  of  the  currant-bush-hedge.  And  catching 
up  her  basket,  and  bidding  a  hasty  good-by 
to  her  new  acquaintance  and  future  scholar, 
Hildegarde  darted  back  through  the  bushes. 

Zerubbabel  Chirk  looked  after  her  a  few 
moments,  with  kindling  eyes  and  open  mouth 
of  wonder  and  admiration. 

"Wall!"  he  said  finally,  after  a  pause  of 
silent  meditation,  "I  swan!  I  reelly  do!  I 
swan  to  man ! "  and  fell  to  weeding  again  as 
if  his  life  depended  on  it. 


94  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 


CHAPTER  V. 

THE    BLUE    PLATTER. 

"  Merry  it  is  in  the  green  forest, 
Among  the  leaves  green ! ' ' 

THUS  sang  Hildegarde  as  she  sat  in  the  west 
window,  busily  stringing  her  currants.  She  had 
been  thinking  a  great  deal  about  Bubble  Chirk, 
making  plans  for  his  education,  and  wonder- 
ing what  his  sister  Pink  was  like.  He  re- 
minded her,  she  could  not  tell  why,  of  the 
"lytel  boy"  who  kept  fair  Alyce's  swine,  in 
her  favorite  ballad  of  "Adam  Bell,  Clym  o' 
the  Clough,  and  William  of  Cloudeslee  ;  "  and 
the  words  of  the  ballad  rose  half  unconsciously 
to  her  lips  as  she  bent  over  the  great  yel- 
low bowl,  heaped  with  scarlet  and  pale-gold 
clusters. 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  95 

"  Merry  it  is  in  the  green  forest, 
Among  the  leaves  green, 
Whenas  men  hunt  east  and  west 
With  bows  and  arrowes  keen, 

•*  For  to  raise  the  deer  out  of  their  denne,  — 
Such  sights  have  oft  been  seen  ; 
As  by  three  yemen  of  the  north  countree: 
By  them  it  is,  I  mean. 

"  The  one  of  them  hight  Adam  Bell, 
The  other  Clym  o'  the  Clough ; 
The  third  was  Willyam  of  Cloudeslee,  — 
An  archer  good  enough. 

*'  They  were  outlawed  for  venison, 
These  yemen  every  one. 
They  swore  them  brethren  on  a  day 
To  English  wood  for  to  gone. 

"  Now  lythe  and  listen,  gentylmen, 
That  of  myrthes  loveth  to  hear  1  " 

At  this  moment  the  door  opened,  and  Farmer 
Hartley  entered,  taking  off  his  battered  straw 
hat  as  he  did  so,  and  wiping  his  forehead  with 
a  red  bandanna  handkerchief.  Hilda  looked 
up  with  a  pleasant  smile,  meaning  to  thank 
him  for  the  raspberries  which  he  had  gathered 
for  her  breakfast ;  but  to  her  utter  astonish- 


96  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

ment,  the  moment  his  eyes  fell  upon  her  he 
gave  a  violent  start  and  turned  very  pale; 
then,  muttering  something  under  his  breath, 
he  turned  hastily  and  left  the  room. 

"  Oh  !  what  is  the  matter  ?  "  cried  Hilda, 
jumping  up  from  her  chair.  "  What  have 
I  done,  Nurse  Lucy?  I  have  made  the 
farmer  angry,  somehow.  Is  this  his  chair? 
I  thought  — ' 

"  No,  no,  honey  dear  ! "  said  Nurse  Lucy 
soothingly.  "  Sit  ye  down ;  sit  ye  down  ! 
You  have  done  nothing.  I'm  right  glad  of 
it,"  she  added,  with  a  tone  of  sadness  in  her 
pleasant  voice.  "  Seeing  as  'tis  all  in  God's 
wisdom,  Jacob  must  come  to  see  it  so;  and 
't  is  no  help,  but  a  deal  of  hindrance,  when 
folks  set  aside  chairs  and  the  like,  and  see 
only  them  that 's  gone  sitting  in  them."  Then, 
seeing  Hilda's  look  of  bewilderment,  she  added, 
laying  her  hand  gently  on  the  girl's  soft  hair : 
"You  see,  dear,  we  had  a  daughter  of  our 
own  this  time  last  year.  Our  only  one  she 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  97 

was,  and  just  about  your  age,  —  the  light  of  our 
eyes,  our  Faith.  She  was  a  good  girl,  strong 
and  loving  and  heartsome,  and  almost  as  pretty 
as  yourself,  Hilda  dear;  but  the  Father  had 
need  of  her,  so  she  was  taken  from  us  for 
a  while.  It  was  cruel  hard  for  Jacob  ;  cruel, 
cruel  hard.  He  can't  seem  to  see,  even  now, 
that  it  was  right,  or  it  would  n't  have  been  so. 
And  so  I  can  tell  just  what  he  felt,  coming  in 
just  now,  sudden  like,  and  seeing  you  sitting 
in  Faith's  chair.  Like  as  not  he  forgot  it  all 
for  a  minute,  and  thought  it  was  herself.  She 
had  a  blue  dress  that  he  always  liked,  and 
she  'd  sit  here  and  sing,  and  the  sun  coming 
in  on  her  through  her  own  window  there,  as 
she  always  called  it :  like  a  pretty  picture  she 
was,  our  Faith." 

"  Oh  ! "  cried  Hilda,  taking  the  brown,  moth- 
erly hand  in  both  of  hers,  "  I  am  so  very,  very 
sorry,  dear  Nurse  Lucy  !  I  did  not  know  !  I 
will  never  sit  here  again.  I  thought  —  " 

But  she  was  ashamed  to  say  what  she  had 


98  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

thought,  —  that  this  chair  and  table  had  been 
set  for  her  to  tempt  her  to  sit  down  "  in  a 
kitchen  !  "  She  could  hear  herself  say  it  as  she 
had  said  it  last  night,  with  a  world  of  scornful 
emphasis.  How  long  it  seemed  since  last 
night ;  how  much  older  she  had  grown  !  And 
yet  —  and  yet  somehow  she  felt  a  great  deal 
younger. 

All  this  passed  through  her  mind  in  a  mo- 
ment ;  but  Nurse  Lucy  was  petting  her,  and 
saying  :  "  Nay,  dearie  ;  nay,  child  !  This  is 
just  where  I  want  you  to  sit.  'T  will  be 
a  real  help  to  Farmer,  once  he  is  used  to 
it.  Hark !  I  hear  him  coming  now.  Sit 
still !  To  please  rne,  my  dear,  sit  still  where 
ye  are." 

Hilda  obeyed,  though  her  heart  beat  pain- 
fully;  and  she  bent  in  real  distress  over  the 
currants  as  Farmer  Hartley  once  more  entered 
the  room.  She  hardly  knew  what  she  feared 
or  expected  ;  but  her  relief  was  great  when  he 
bade  her  a  quiet  but  cheerful  "  Good-day  !  " 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  99 

and  crossing  the  room,  sat  down  in  his  great 
leather  arm-chair. 

"  Dinner  '11  be  ready  in  five  minutes,  Ja- 
cob !  "  said  the  good  dame,  cheerily ;  "I  Ve 
only  to  lay  the  table  and  dish  the  mutton." 

"  Oh  !  let  me  help,"  cried  Hilda,  springing 
up  and  setting  her  bowl  of  currants  on  the 
window-sill. 

So  between  the  two  the  snowy  cloth  was 
laid,  and  the  blue  plates  and  the  shining  knives 
and  forks  laid  out.  Then  they  all  sat  down, 
and  the  little  maid-servant  came  too,  and  took 
her  place  at  the  end  of  the  table ;  and  presently 
in  came  a  great  loutish-looking  fellow,  about 
one  or  two  and  twenty,  with  a  great  shock  of 
sandy  hair  and  little  ferret-eyes  set  too  near 
together,  whom  Dame  Hartley  introduced  as 
her  nephew.  He  sat  down  too,  and  ate  more 
than  all  the  rest  of  them  put  together.  At 
sight  of  this  man,  who  gobbled  his  food  noisily, 
and  uttered  loud  snorts  between  the  mouth- 
fuls,  the  old  Hilda  awoke  in  full  force.  She 


100  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

could  not  endure  this ;  mamma  never  could 
have  intended  it.  !  The  Hartleys  were  different, 
of  course.  She  was  willing  to  acknowledge 
that  she  had  been  in  the  wrong  about  them ; 
but  this  lout,  this  oaf,  this  villanous-looking 
churl,  —  to  expect  a  lady  to  sit  at  the  same 
table  with  him  :  it  was  too  much  !  She  would 
ask  if  she  might  not  dine  in  her  own  room  after 
this,  as  apparently  it  was  only  at  dinner  that 
this  "  creature  "  made  his  appearance. 

Farmer  Hartley  had  been  very  silent  since 
he  came  in,  but  now  he  seemed  to  feel  that 
he  must  make  an  effort  to  be  sociable,  so  he 
said  kindly,  though  gravely,  — 

"  I  see  ye  're  lookin'  at  that  old  dish,  Huldy. 
'T  is  a  curus  old  piece,  'n'  that 's  a  fact.  Kin 
ye  read  the  motter  on  it  ?  " 

Hilda  had  not  been  looking  at  the  dish,  though 
her  eyes  had  been  unconsciously  fixed  upon  it, 
and  she  now  bent  forward  to  examine  it.  It 
was  an  oblong  platter,  of  old  blue  and  white 
crockery.  In  the  middle  (which  was  now  vis- 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  101 

ible,  as  tlie  "  creature"  had  just  transferred 
the  last  potato  to  his  own  plate,  stabbing  it 
with  his  knife  for  that  purpose)  was  a  quaint 
representation  of  a  mournful-looking  couple, 
clad  in  singularly  ill-fitting  aprons  of  fig-leaves. 
The  man  was  digging  with  a  spade,  while  the 
woman  sat  at  a  spinning-wheel  placed  danger- 
ously near  the  edge  of  the  deep  ditch  which 
her  husband  had  already  dug.  Round  the 
edge  ran  an  inscription,  which,  after  some 
study,  Hilda  made  out  to  be  the  old  distich : 

"  When  Adam  delved,  and  Eve  span, 
Where  was  then  the  gentleman  ?  " 

Hilda  burst  out  laughing  in  spite  of  her- 
self. 

"  Oh,  it  is  wonderful !  "  she  cried.  "  Who 
ever  heard  of  Eve  with  a  spinning- wheel? 
Where  did  this  come  from,  Farmer  Hartley  ? 
I  am  sure  it  must  have  a  history." 

"  Wa-al,"  said  the  farmer,  smiling,  "I  d 'no 
ez  't'  hes  so  to  speak  a  histVy,  an'  yit  there  7s 
allays  somethin'  amoosin'  to  me  about  that 


102  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

platter.  My  father  was  a  sea-farin'  man  most 
o'  his  life,  an7  only  came  to  the  farm  late  in 
life,  'count  of  his  older  brother  dyin',  as  owned 
it.  Well,  he'd  picked  up  a  sight  o'  queer  things 
in  his  voyages,  father  had ;  he  kep'  some  of 
'em  stowed  away  in  boxes,  and  brought  'em 
out  from  time  to  time,  ez  he  happened  to  think 
of  'em.  Wa-al,  we  young  uns  growed  up 
(four  of  us  there  was,  all  boys,  and  likely  boys 
too,  if  I  do  say  it),  and  my  brother  Simon,  who 
was  nex'  to  me,  he  went  to  college.  He  was 
a  clever  chap,  Simon  was,  an'  nothin'  would 
do  for  him  but  he  must  be  a  gentleman. 

"  '  Jacob  kin  stick  to  the  farm  an'  the  mill, 
if  he  likes,'  says  he,  l  an'  Tom  kin  go  to  sea, 
an'  William  kin  be  a  minister,  —  Vs  all  he's 
good  fer,  I  reckon ;  but  /  'm  goin'  ter  be  a 
gentleman  ! '  says  Simon.  He  said  it  in  father's 
hearin'  one  day,  an'  father  lay  back  in  his  cheer 
an'  laughed;  he  was  allays  laughin',  father 
was.  An'  then  he  went  off  upstairs,  an'  we 
heard  him  rummagin'  about  among  his  boxes 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  103 

up  in  the  loft-chamber.  We  dass  n't  none  of 
us  tech  them  boxes,  we  boys,  though  we  war  n't 
afeard  of  no  thin'  else  in  the  world,  only  father. 
Presently  he  comes  down  again,  still  a-laughin', 
an'  kerryin'  that  platter  in  his  hand.  He  sets 
it  down  afore  Simon,  an'  says  he,  i  Wealthy,' 
says  he  (that  was  my  mother),  '  Wealthy,' 
says  he,  '  let  Simon  have  his  victuals  off  o' 
this  platter  every  day,  d  'ye  hear  ?  The' 
ain't  none  other  that 's  good  enough  for  him  ! ' 
an'  then  he  laughed  again,  till  he  fairly  shook, 
an'  Simon  looked  black  as  thunder,  an'  took 
his  hat  an*  went  out.  An'  so  after  Simon  went 
to  college,  every  time  he  come  home  for  va- 
cation and  set  down  to  table  with  his  nose 
kind  o'  turned  up,  like  he  was  too  good  to  set 
with  his  own  kith  and  kin,  father  'ud  go  an 
git  the  old  blue  platter  and  set  it  afore  him, 
an'  say,  '  Here  's  your  dish,  Simon ;  been  dig- 
gin'  any  lately,  my  son  ?  '  and  then  lay  back 
in  his  cheer  and  laugh." 

"  And   did    Simon   become  —  a  —  a   gentle- 


104  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

man  ?  "  asked  Hilda,  taking  her  own  little  lesson 
very  meekly,  in  her  desire  to  know  more. 

Farmer  Hartley's  brow  clouded  instantly, 
and  the  smile  vanished  from  his  lips.  "  Poor 
Simon  !  "  he  said,  sadly.  "  He  might  ha'  been 
anythin'  he  liked,  if  he'd  lived  and  —  been 
fortunate." 

"  Simon  Hartley  is  dead,  Hilda  dear,"  inter- 
posed Dame  Hartley,  gently ;  "he  died  some 
years  ago.  Will  you  have  some  of  your  own 
currants,  my  dear  ?  —  Hilda  has  been  help- 
ing me  a  great  deal,  Father,"  she  added,  ad- 
dressing her  husband.  "  I  don't  know  how  I 
should  have  got  all  my  currants  picked  with- 
out her  help." 

"  Has  she  so  !  "  exclaimed  the  farmer,  fixing 
his  keen  gray  eyes  on  the  girl.  "  Waal !  waal  I 
to  think  o'  that !  Why,  we  sh'll  hev  her  milkin' 
that  cow  soon,  after  all ;  hey,  Huldy  ?  " 

Hildegarde  looked  up  bravely,  with  a  little 
smile.  "I  will  try,"  she  said,  cheerfully,  "if 
you  will  risk  the  milk,  Farmer  Hartley." 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  105 

The  old  farmer  returned  her  smile  with  one 
so  bright  and  kind  and  genial  that  somehow 
the  ice  bent,  then  cracked,  and  then  broke. 
The  old  Hilda  shrank  into  so  small  a  space 
that  there  was  really  very  little  left  of  her,  and 
the  new  Hilda  rose  from  table  feeling  that  she 
had  gained  a  new  friend. 

So  it  came  to  pass  that  about  an  hour  later 
our  heroine  was  walking  beside  the  farmer  on 
the  way  to  the  barnyard,  talking  merrily,  and 
swinging  the  basket  which  she  was  going  to 
fill  with  eggs.  "  But  how  shall  I  find  them," 
she  asked,  "if  the  hens  hide  them  away  so 
carefully!" 

"  Oh,  you  '11  hear  'em  scrattlin*  round !  "  re- 
plied the  farmer.  "They're  gret  fools,  hens 
are,  —  greter  than  folks,  as  a  rule ;  an7  that  is 
sayin'  a  good  deal." 

They  crossed  the  great  sunny  barn-yard,  and 
paused  at  the  barn-door,  while  Hilda  looked  in 
with  delight.  A  broad  floor,  big  enough  for  a 
ballroom,  with  towering  walls  of  fragrant  hay 


106  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

on  either  side  reaching  up  to  the  rafters ;  great 
doors  open  at  the  farther  end,  showing  a  snatch 
of  blue,  radiant  sky,  and  a  lovely  wood-road 
winding  away  into  deep  thickets  of  birch  and 
linden ;  dusty,  golden,  cobwebby  sunbeams 
slanting  down  through  the  little  windows,  and 
touching  the  tossed  hay -piles  into  gold ;  and 
in  the  middle,  hanging  by  iron  chains  from 
the  great  central  beam,  a  swing,  almost  big 
enough  for  a  giant,  —  such  was  the  barn  at 
Hartley  Farm ;  as  pleasant  a  place,  Hilda 
thought,  as  she  had  ever  seen. 

"  Waal,  Huldy,  111  leave  ye  heer?"  said  the 
farmer ;  "  ye  kin  find  yer  way  home,  I  reckon." 

"Oh,  yes,  indeed!"  said  Hilda.  "But 
stop  one  moment,  please,  Farmer  Hartley.  I 
want  to  know  —  will  you  please  —  may  I  teach 
Bubble  Chirk  a  little?"  The  farmer  gave  a 
low  whistle  of  surprise;  but  Hilda  went  on 
eagerly :  "I  found  him  studying,  this  morning, 
while  he  was  weeding  the  garden,  —  oh  !  study- 
ing so  hard,  and  yet  not  neglecting  his  work 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  107 

for  a  minute.  He  seems  a  very  bright  boy, 
and  it  is  a  pity  he  should  not  have  a  good 
education.  Could  you  spare  him,  do  you 
think,  for  an  hour  every  day  ?  "  She  stopped, 
while  the  farmer  looked  at  her  with  a  merry 
twinkle  in  his  eye. 

"  You  teach  Bubble  Chirk  !  "  he  said.  "  Why, 
what  would  your  fine  friends  say  to  that,  Miss 
Huldy?  Bubble  ain't  nothin'  but  a  common 
farm-boy,  if  he  is  bright;  an'  I  ain't  denyin' 
that  he  is." 

"  I  don't  know  what  they  would  say,"  said 
Hildegarde,  blushing  hotly,  "  and  I  don't  care, 
either!  I  know  what  mamma  would  do  in  my 
place ;  and  so  do  you,  Farmer  Hartley ! "  she 
added,  with  a  little  touch  of  indignation. 

"  Waal,  I  reckon  I  do ! "  said  Farmer  Hart- 
ley. "  And  I  know  who  looks  like  her  mother, 
this  minute,  though  I  never  thought  she  would. 
Yes ! "  he  said,  more  seriously,  "  you  shall 
teach  Bubble  Chirk,  my  gal ;  and  it 's  my  be- 
lief 't  will  bring  you  a  blessin'  as  well  as  him. 


108  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

Ye  are  yer  mother's  darter,  after  all.  Shall  I 
give  ye  a  swing  now,  before  I  go ;  or  are  ye 
too  big  to  swing?'7 

"I  —  don't  —  know  !  "  said  Hildegarde, 
eying  the  swing  wistfully.  "  Am  I  too  big, 
I  wonder?" 

"  Yer  ma  war  n't,  when  she  was  here  three 
weeks  ago ! "  said  the  farmer.  "  She  just  sot 
heer  and  took  a  good  solid  swing,  for  the  sake 
of  old  times,  she  said." 

"  Then  I  will  take  one  for  the  sake  of  new 
times ! "  cried  Hilda,  running  to  the  swing  and 
seating  herself  on  its  broad,  roomy  seat.  "  For 
the  sake  of  this  new  time,  which  I  know  is 
going  to  be  a  happy  one,  give  me  three  good 
pushes,  please,  Farmer  Hartley,  and  then  I  can 
take  care  of  myself." 

One !  two  !  three !  up  goes  Queen  Hilde- 
garde, up  and  up,  among  the  dusty,  cobwebby 
sunbeams,  which  settle  like  a  crown  upon  her 
fair  head.  Down  with  a  rush,  through  the 
sweet,  hay-scented  air ;  then  up  again,  start- 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  109 

ling  the  swallows  from  under  the  eaves,  and 
making  the  staid  and  conservative  old  hens 
frantic  with  anxiety.  Up  and  down,  in  broad, 
free  sweeps,  growing  slower  now,  as  the  farmer 
left  her  and  went  to  his  work.  How  perfect  it 
was !  Did  the  world  hold  anything  else  so 
delightful  as  swinging  in  a  barn  ?  She  began 
to  sing,  for  pure  joy,  a  little  song  that  her 
mother  had  made  for  her  when  she  was  a  little 
child,  and  used  to  swing  in  the  garden  at  home. 
And  Farmer  Hartley,  with  his  hand  on  the 
brown  heifer's  back,  paused  with  a  smile  and 
a  sigh  as  he  heard  the  girl's  sweet  fresh  voice 
ring  out  gladly  from  the  old  barn.  This  was 
the  song  she  sang  :  — 

If  I  were  a  fairy  king 

(Swinging  high,  swinging  low), 
I  would  give  to  you  a  ring 

(Swinging,  oh !) 
With  a  diamond  set  so  bright 
That  the  shining  of  its  light 
Should  make  morning  of  the  night 

(Swinging  high,  swinging  low)  — 
Should  make  morning  of  the  night 
(Swinging,  oh!). 


110  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

On  each  ringlet  as  it  fell 

(Swinging  high,  swinging  low) 
I  would  tie  a  golden  bell 

(Swinging,  oh !) ; 

And  the  golden  bells  would  chime 
In  a  little  merry  rhyme, 
In  the  merry  morning  time 

(Swinging  high,  swinging  low)  - 
In  the  happy  morning  time 
(Swinging,  oh!). 

You  should  wear  a  satin  gown 
(Swinging  high,  swinging  low), 

All  with  ribbons  falling  down 
(Swinging,  oh!). 

And  your  little  twinkling  feet, 

O  my  Pretty  and  my  Sweet ! 

Should  be  shod  with  silver  neat 
(Swinging  high,  swinging  low)  - 

Shod  with  silver  slippers  neat 
(Swinging,  oh!). 

But  I  'm  not  a  fairy,  Pet 

(Swinging  high,  swinging  low), 
Am  not  even  a  king,  as  yet 

(Swinging,  oh!). 
So  all  that  I  can  do 
Is  to  kiss  your  little  shoe, 
And  to  make-  a  queen  of  you 

(Swinging  high,  swinging  low), 
Make  a  fairy  queen  of  you 
(Swinging,  oh!). 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  Ill 


CHAPTEE    VI 


HARTLEY'S  GLEN. 


How  many  girls,  among  all  the  girls  who 
may  read  this  little  book,  have  seen  with  their 
own  eyes  Hartley's  Glen  ?  Not  one,  perhaps, 
save  Brynhild  and  the  Rosicrucian,  for  whom 
the  book  is  written.  But  the  others  must  try 
to  see  it  with  my  eyes,  for  it  is  a  fair  place  and 
a  sweet  as  any  on  earth.  Behind  the  house, 
and  just  under  the  brow  of  the  little  hill  that 
shelters  it,  a  narrow  path  dips  down  to  the 
right,  and  goes  along  for  a  bit,  with  a  dimpled 
clover-meadow  on  the  one  hand,  and  a  stone 
wall,  all  warm  with  golden  and  red-brown 
lichens,  on  the  other.  Follow  this,  and  you 
come  to  a  little  gateway,  beyond  which  is  a 


112  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

thick  plantation  of  larches,  with  one  grim  old 
red  cedar  keeping  watch  over  them.  If  he  re- 
gards you  favorably,  you  may  pass  on,  down 
the  narrow  path  that  winds  among  the  larches, 
whose  feathery  finger-tips  brush  your  cheek 
and  try  to  hold  you  back,  as  if  they  willed  not 
that  you  should  go  farther,  to  see  the  wonders 
which  they  can  never  behold. 

But  you  leave  them  behind,  and  come  out 
into  the  sunshine,  in  a  little  green  glade  which 
might  be  the  ballroom  of  the  fairy  queen.  On 
your  right,  gleaming  through  clumps  of  alder 
and  black  birch,  is  a  pond,  —  the  home  of  cardi- 
nal flowers  and  gleaming  jewel-weed;  a  little 
farther  on,  a  thicket  of  birch  and  maple,  from 
which  comes  a  musical  sound  of  falling  water. 
Follow  this  sound,  keeping  to  the  path,  which 
winds  away  to  the  left.  Stop  !  now  you  may 
step  aside  for  a  moment,  and  part  the  heavy 
hanging  branches,  and  look,  where  the  water 
falls  over  a  high  black  wall,  into  a  sombre  pool, 
shut  in  by  fantastic  rocks,  and  shaded  from  all 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  113 

sunshine  by  a  dense  fringe  of  trees.  This  is  the 
milldam,  and  the  pond  above  is  no  natural  one, 
but  the  enforced  repose  and  outspreading  of  a 
merry  brown  brook,  which  now  shows  its  true 
nature,  and  escaping  from  the  gloomy  pool,  runs 
scolding  and  foaming  down  through  a  wilderness 
of  rocks  and  trees.  You  cannot  follow  it  there, 
—  though  I  have  often  done  so  in  my  barefoot 
days,  —  so  come  back  to  the  path  again.  There 
are  pines  overhead  now,  and  the  ground  is  slip- 
pery with  the  fallen  needles,  and  the  air  is 
sweet  —  ah  !  how  sweet !  —  with  their  warm  fra- 
grance. See  !  here  is  the  old  mill  itself,  now 
disused  and  falling  to  decay.  Here  the  path 
becomes  a  little  precipice,  and  you  must  scram- 
ble as  best  you  can  down  two  or  three  rough 
steps,  and  round  the  corner  of  the  ruined  mill. 
This  is  a  millstone,  this  great  round  thing  like 
a  granite  cheese,  half  buried  in  the  ground  ; 
and  here  is  another,  which  makes  a  comfortable 
seat,  if  you  are  tired. 

But  there  is  a  fairer  resting-place  beyond. 


114  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE 

Round  this  one  more  corner,  now,  and  down,  — 
carefully,  carefully  !  —  down  this  long  stairway, 
formed  of  rough  slabs  of  stone  laid  one  below 
the  other.  Shut  your  eyes  now  for  a  moment, 
and  let  me  lead  you  forward  by  the  hand.  And 
now  —  now  open  the  eyes  wide,  wide,  and  look 
about  you.  In  front,  and  under  the  windows  of 
the  old  mill,  the  water  comes  foaming  and  rush- 
ing down  over  a  rocky  fall  some  sixty  feet  high, 
and  leaps  merrily  into  a  second  pool.  No  sombre, 
black  gulf  this,  like  the  one  above,  but  a  lovely 
open  circle,  half  in  broad  sunshine,  half  dap- 
pled with  the  fairy  shadows  of  the  boughs  and 
ferns  that  bend  lovingly  over  it.  So  the  little 
brook  is  no  longer  angry,  but  mingles  lovingly 
with  the  deep  water  of  the  pool,  and  then  runs 
laughing  and  singing  along  the  glen  on  its  way 
down  to  the  sea.  On  one  side  of  this  glen  the 
bank  rises  abruptly  some  eighty  feet,  its  sides 
clothed  with  sturdy  birches  which  cling  as  best 
they  may  to  the  rocky  steep.  On  the  other 
stretches  the  little  valley,  a  narrow  strip  of 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  115 

land,  but  with  turf  as  fine  as  the  Queen's  lawn, 
and  trees  that  would  proudly  grace  Her  Ma- 
jesty's park,  —  tall  Norway  firs,  raising  their 
stately  forms  and  pointing  their  long  dark 
fingers  sternly  at  the  intruders  on  their  sol- 
itude ;  graceful  birches ;  and  here  and  there  a 
whispering  larch  or  a  nodding  pine.  The  other 
wall  of  the  valley,  or  glen,  is  less  precipitous, 
and  its  sides  are  densely  wooded,  and  fringed 
with  barberry  bushes  and  climbing  eglantine. 

And  between  these  two  banks,  and  over  this 
green  velvet  carpet,  and  among  these  dark  fir- 
trees,  —  ah !  how  the  sun  shines.  Nowhere 
else  in  the  whole  land  does  he  shine  so  sweetly, 
for  he  knows  that  his  time  there  is  short,  and 
that  the  high  banks  will  shut  him  out  from  that 
green,  pleasant  place  long  before  he  must  say 
good-night  to  the  more  common-place  fields  and 
hill-sides.  So  here  his  beams  rest  right  lov- 
ingly, making  royal  show  of  gold  on  the 
smooth  grass,  and  of  diamonds  on  the  running 
water,  and  of  opals  and  topazes  and  beryls 


116  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

where  tlie  wave  comes  curling  over  the  little 
fall. 

And  now,  amid  all  this  pomp  and  play  of 
sun  and  of  summer,  what  is  this  dash  of  blue 
that  makes  a  strange,  though  not  a  discordant, 
note  in  our  harmony  of  gold  and  green  ?  And 
what  is  that  round,  whitish  object  which  is  bob- 
bing up  and  down  with  such  singular  energy  ? 
Why,  the  blue  is  Hildegarde's  dress,  if  you 
must  know ;  and  the  whitish  object  is  the  head 
of  Zerubbabel  Chirk,  scholar  and  devotee  ;  and 
the  energy  with  which  said  head  is  bobbing 
is  the  energy  of  determination  and  of  study. 
Hilda  and  Bubble  have  made  themselves  ex- 
tremely comfortable  under  the  great  ash-tree 
which  stands  in  the  centre  of  the  glen.  The 
teacher  has  curled  herself  up  against  the  roots 
of  the  tree,  and  has  a  piece  of  work  in  her 
hands  ;  but  her  eyes  are  wandering  dreamily 
over  the  lovely  scene  before  her,  and  she  looks 
as  if  she  were  really  too  comfortable  to  move 
even  a  finger.  The  scholar  lies  at  her  feet, 


"  HILDA  AND  BUBBLE  HAVE  MADE  THEMSELVES 
EXTREMELY  COMFORTABLE." 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  119 

face  downwards,  his  chin  propped  on  his 
hands,  his  head  bobbing  up  and  down.  The 
silence  is  only  broken  by  the  noise  of  the 
waterfall  and  the  persistent  chirping  of  some 
very  cheerful  little  bird. 

Presently  the  boy  raised  his  head  and  cried 
joyfully,  "I've  fetched  him,  Miss  Hildy !  I 
know  it,  now,  jest  like  pie !  "  Whereupon  he 
stood  up,  and  assuming  a  military  attitude, 
submitted  to  a  severe  geographical  catechising, 
and  came  off  with  flying  colors. 

"  That  was  a  very  good  recitation,"  said 
Hilda,  approvingly,  as  she  laid  the  book  down. 
"You  shall  have  another  ballad  to-day  as  a 
reward.  But,  Bubble,"  she  added,  rather  seri- 
ously, "  I  do  wish  you  would  not  use  so  much 
slang.  It  is  so  senseless  !  Now  what  did  you 
mean  by  saying  '  just  like  pie/  in  speaking  of 
your  lesson  just  now?" 

"  Oh  !  come  now,  Miss  Hildy ! "  said  Bubble, 
bashfully,  "  the7  ain't  no  use  in  your  tellin'  me 
you  don't  know  what  pie  is." 


120  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

"Of  course  I  know  what  pie  is,  you  silly 
boy!"  said  Hilda,  laughing.  "But  what  has 
pie  to  do  with  your  geography  lesson  ?  " 

"  That 's  so  ! "  murmured  the  boy,  apologeti- 
cally. "That's  a  fact,  ain't  it?  I  won't  say 
'  like  pie '  no  more ;  1 11  say  '  like  blazes,7 
instead." 

"  You  need  n't  say  '  like '  anything  !  "  cried 
Hilda,  laughing  again ;  "just  say,  I  know  my 
lesson  '  well/  or  '  thoroughly.'  There  are  plenty 
of  real  words,  Bubble,  that  have  as  much  meaning 
as  the  slang  ones,  and  often  a  great  deal  more." 

"That's  so,"  said  Bubble,  with  an  air  of 
deep  conviction.  "  1 11  try  not  to  talk  no 
more  slang,  Miss  Hildy.  I  will,  I  swan ! " 

"  But,  Bubble,  you  must  not  say  '  I  swan ' 
either ;  that  is  abominable  slang." 

Bubble  looked  very  blank.  "Why,  what 
shall  I  say?"  he  asked,  simply.  "Pink  won't 
let  me  say  'I  swow,'  'cause  it's  vulgar;  an' 
if  I  say  '  by '  anything,  Ma  says  it 's  swearin', 
—  an'  I  can't  swear,  nohow  !  " 


QUEEN    HILDEGARDE.  121 

"Of  course  not,"  said  Hilda.  "  But  why 
must  you  say  anything,  Bubble,  —  anything  of 
that  sort,  I  mean  ?  " 

"Oh!"  said  the  boy,  "I  d'  'no  's  I  kin  say 
ezackly  why,  Miss  Hildy  ;  but  —  but  —  wal,  I 
swan  !  I  mean,  I  —  I  don't  mean  I  swan  — 
but  —  there  now  !  You  see  how  Jt  is,  Miss 
Hildy.  Things  don't  seem  to  hev  no  taste  to 
'em,  without  you  say  somefhin\" 

"Let  me  think,"  said  Hilda.  "Perhaps  I 
can  think  of  something  that  will  sound  better." 

"  I  might  say,  *  Gee  Whittekers  ! ' "  suggested 
Bubble,  brightening  up  a  little.  "  I  know  some 
fellers  as  says  that." 

"  I  don't  think  that  would  do,"  replied  Hilda, 
decidedly.  "  What  does  it  mean  ?  " 

"  Don't  mean  nothin',  as  I  knows  on,"  said 
the  boy;  "but  it  sounds  kind  o'  hahnsome, 
don't  it  I" 

Hilda  shook  her  head  with  a  smile.  She 
did  not  think  "  Gee  Whittekers  "  a  "  hahnsome  " 
expression. 


122  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

"Bubble,"  she  said  after  a  few  moments'  re- 
flection, during  which  her  scholar  watched  her 
anxiously,  "  I  have  an  idea.  If  you  must  say 
6  something/  beside  what  you  actually  have  to 
say,  let  it  be  something  that  will  remind  you 
of  your  lessons ;  then  it  may  help  you  to  re- 
member them.  Instead  of  Gee  —  what  is  it  I 
—  Gee  Whittekers,  say  Geography,  or  Spelling, 
or  Arithmetic ;  and  instead  of  '  I  swan/  say 
1 1  study  ! '  What  do  you  think  of  this  plan  ?  " 

"Fustrate  !"  exclaimed  Bubble,  nodding  his 
head  enthusiastically.  "  I  like  it  fustrate ! 
Ge-ography  !  Why,  that  sounds  just  like  pie  ! 
I  —  I  don't  mean  that,  Miss  Hildy.  I  didn't 
mean  to  say  it,  nohow  !  It  kind  o'  slipped  out, 
ye  know."  Bubble  paused,  and  hung  his  head 
in  much  confusion. 

" Never  mind!"  said  Hilda,  kindly.  "  Of 
course  you  cannot  make  the  change  all  at  once, 
Bubble.  But  little  by  little,  if  you  really  think 
about  it,  you  will  bring  it  about.  Next  week," 
she  added,  "I  think  we  must  begin  upon 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  123 

grammar.  You  are  doing  very  well  indeed  in 
spelling  and  geography,  and  pretty  well  in 
arithmetic ;  but  your  grammar,  Bubble,  is 
simply  frightful." 

"Be  it?"  said  Bubble,  resignedly.  "I  want 
to  know  !  " 

"  And  now,"  said  the  young  instructress,  ris- 
ing, and  shaking  out  her  crumpled  frock,  "  that 
is  enough  for  to-day,  Bubble.  We  must  be 
going  home  soon ;  but  first,  I  want  to  take  a 
peep  at  the  lower  part  of  the  old  mill,  that  you 
told  me  about  yesterday.  You  have  been  in 
there,  you  say?  And  how  did  you  get  in?  " 

"I'll  show  ye  !"  cried  Bubble,  springing  up 
with  alacrity,  and  leading  the  way  towards  the 
mill.  "  I  '11  show  ye  the  very  place,  Miss  Hildy. 
'T  ain't  easy  to  get  in,  and  't  ain't  no  place  for 
a  lady,  nohow  ;  but  I  kin  git  in,  jist  like  — 
like  Arithmetic  ! " 

"  Bravo,  Bubble  !"  said  Hilda,  laughing  mer- 
rily. "  That  is  very  well  for  a  beginning. 
How  long  is  it  since  the  mill  was  used  1 "  she 


124  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

asked,  looking  up  at  the  frowning  walls  of 
rough,  dark  stone,  covered  with  moss  and 
lichens. 

"  Fanner  Hartley's  gran'f  ther  was  the  last 
miller,"  replied  Bubble  Chirk.  "My  father 
used  to  say  he  could  just  remember  him, 
standin'  at  the  mill-door,  all  white  with  flour, 
an'  rubbin'  his  hands  and  laughin',  jes'  the  way 
Farmer  does.  He  was  a  good  miller,  father 
said,  an'  made  the  mill  pay  well.  But  his 
eldest  son,  that  kem  after  him,  war  n't  no 
great  shakes,  an'  he  let  the  mill  go  to  wrack 
and  ruin,  an'  jes'  stayed  on  the  farm.  An'  then 
he  died,  an'  Cap'n  Hartley  came  (that 's  the 
farmer's  father,  ye  know),  an'  he  was  kind  o' 
crazy,  and  didn't  care  about  the  mill  either, 
an7  so  there  it  stayed. 

"This  way,  Miss  Hildy ! "  added  the  boy, 
breaking  off  suddenly,  and  plunging  into  the 
tangled  thicket  of  shrubs  and  brambles  that 
hid  the  base  of  the  mill.  "Thar!  ye  see 
that  hole?  That's  whar  I  get  in.  Wait  till 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  125 

I  clear  away  the  briers  a  bit !     Thar  !  now  ye 
kin  look  in." 

The  "hole"  was  a  square  opening,  a  couple 
of  feet  from  the  ground,  and  large  enough  for 
a  person  of  moderate  size  to  creep  through. 
Hildegarde  stooped  down  and  looked  in.  At 
first  she  saw  nothing  but  utter  blackness ;  but 
presently  her  eyes  became  accustomed  to  the 
place,  and  the  feeble  light  which  struggled  in 
past  her  through  the  opening,  revealed  strange 
objects  which  rose  here  and  there  from  the  vast 
pit  of  darkness,  —  fragments  of  rusty  iron,  bent 
and  twisted  into  unearthly  shapes ;  broken 
beams,  their  jagged  ends  sticking  out  like 
stiffly  pointing  fingers ;  cranks,  and  bits  of 
hanging  chain  ;  and  on  the  side  next  the  water, 
a  huge  wheel,  rising  apparently  out  of  the 
bowels  of  the  earth,  since  the  lower  part  of  it 
was  invisible.  A  cold,  damp  air  seemed  to 
rise  from  the  earth.  Hilda  shivered  and  drew 
back,  looking  rather  pale.  "  What  a  dreadful 
place  !  "  she  cried.  "  It  looks  like  a  dungeon  of 


126  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

the  Inquisition.  I  think  you  were  very  brave 
to  go  in  there,  Bubble.  I  am  sure  I  should  not 
dare  to  go ;  it  looks  so  spectral  and  frightful." 

"  Hy  Peters  stumped  me  to  go,"  said  Bubble, 
simply,  "so  o'  course  I  went.  Most  of  the 
boys  dassent.  And  it  ain't  bad,  after  the  fust 
time.  They  do  say  it 's  haunted ;  but  I  ain't 
never  seed  nothin'." 

"  Haunted !  "  cried  Hilda,  drawing  back  still 
farther  from  the  black  opening.  "  By  —  by 
what,  Bubble?" 

"CapVs  ghost!"  replied  the  boy.  "He 
used  to  go  rooklin'  round  in  there  when  he 
was  alive,  folks  say,  and  some  thinks  his 
sperit  haunts  there  now." 

"Oh,  nonsense!"  said  Hildegarde,  with  a 
laugh  which  did  not  sound  quite  natural.  "  Of 
course  you  don't  believe  any  such  foolishness 
as  that,  Bubble.  But  what  did  the  old  —  old 
gentleman  —  want  there  when  he  was  alive  ? 
I  can't  imagine  any  one  going  in  there  for 
pleasure." 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  127 

"  Dunno,  I  7m  sure  !  >:  replied  Bubble. 
"  Father,  lie  come  down  here  one  day,  after 
blackberries,  when  he  was  a  boy.  He  hearn 
a  noise  in  there,  an7  went  an7  peeked  in,  an7 
there  was  the  oV  Cap'n  pokin7  about  with  his 
big  stick  in  the  dirt.  He  looked  up  an7  saw 
father,  an7  came  at  him  with  his  stick  up,  roarin7 
like  a  mad  bull,  father  said.  An7  he  cut  an7 
run,  father  did,  an7  he  hearn  the  ol7  Cap7n 
laugh  in7  after  him  as  if  he  7d  have  a  fit.  Crazy 
as  a  loon,  I  reckon  the  Cap7n  was,  though  none 
of  his  folks  thought  so,  Ma  says.77 

He  let  the  wild  briers  fly  back  about  the 
gloomy  opening,  and  they  stepped  back  on 
the  smooth  greensward  again.  Ah,  how  bright 
and  warm  the  sunshine  was,  after  that  hor- 
rible black  pit !  Hilda  shivered  again  at  the 
thought  of  it,  and  then  laughed  at  her  own 
cowardice.  She  turned  and  gazed  at  the  water- 
fall, creaming  and  curling  over  the  rocks,  and 
making  such  a  merry,  musical  jest  of  its  tumble 
into  the  pool.  "  Oh,  lovely,  lovely ! "  she 


128  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

cried,  kissing  her  hand  to  it.  "  Bubble,  do  you 
know  that  Hartley's  Glen  is  without  exception 
the  most  beautiful  place  in  the  world?" 

"  No,  miss  !  Be  it  really  ?  "  asked  Zerubbabel, 
seriously.  "  I  allays  thought 't  was  kind  of  a 
sightly  gully,  but  I  did  n't  know 't  was  all  that." 

"Well,  it  is,"  said  Hilda.  "It  is  all  that, 
and  more  ;  and  I  love  it !  But  now,  Bubble," 
she  added,  "  we  must  make  haste,  for  the 
farmer  will  be  wanting  you,  and  I  have  a 
dozen  things  to  do  before  tea." 

"Yes,  miss,"  said  Bubble,  but  without  his 
usual  alacrity. 

Hilda  saw  a  look  of  disappointment  in  his 
honest  blue  eyes,  and  asked  what  was  the  mat- 
ter. "  I  ain't  had  my  ballid  !  "  said  Zerubbabel, 
sadly. 

"  Why,  you  poor  lad,  so  you  have  n't !  "  said 
Hildegarde.  "  But  you  shall  have  it ;  I  will 
tell  it  to  you  as  we  walk  back  to  the  farm. 
Which  one  will  you  have,  —  or  shall  I  tell  you 
a  new  one  ?  " 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  129 

The  blue  eyes  sparkled  with  the  delight  of 
anticipation.  "Oh,  please!"  he  cried;  "the 
one  about  the  bold  Buckle-oh ! " 

Hilda  laughed  merrily.  "The  bauld  Buc- 
cleugh  ?  "  she  repeated.  "  Oh  !  you  mean  '  Kin- 
mont  Willie.'  Yes,  indeed,  you  shall  have  that. 
It  is  one  of  my  favorite  ballads,  and  I  am  glad 
you  like  it." 

"Oh,  I  tell  yer!"  cried  Bubble.  "When 
he  whangs  the  table,  and  says  do  they  think 
his  helmet 's  an  old  woman's  bunnit,  an'  all  the 
rest  of  it,  —  I  tell  ye  that 's  some,  Miss  Hildy  !  " 

"  You  have  the  spirit  of  the  verse,  Bubble," 
said  Hilda,  laughing  softly ;  "  but  the  words  are 
not  quite  right."  And  she  repeated  the  splendid, 
ringing  words  of  Buccleugh's  indignant  outcry  :. 

"  Oh !  is  my  basnet  a  widow's  curch, 
Or  my  lance  a  wand  o'  the  willow-tree, 
Or  my  arm  a  lady's  lily  hand, 
That  an  English  lord  should  lightly  me.? 

"  And  have  they  ta'en  him,  Kinmont  Willie, 
Against  the  truce  of  Border  tide, 
And  forgotten  that  the  bauld  Buccleugh 
Is  warden  here  o'  the  Scottish  side  ? 


130  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

"  And  have  they  e'en  ta'en  him,  Kinmont  Willie, 
Withouten  either  dread  or  fear, 
And  forgotten  that  the  bauld  Buccleugh 
Can  back  a  steed  or  shake  a  spear?  " 

Zerubbabel  Chirk  fairly  danced  up  and 
down  in  his  excitement.  "Oh!  but  begin 
again  at  the  beginning  please.  Miss  Hildy/'  he 
cried. 

So  Hilda,  nothing  loth,  began  at  the  begin- 
ning; and  as  they  walked  homeward,  recited 
the  whole  of  the  noble  old  ballad,  which  if 
any  girl-reader  does  not  know,  she  may  find  it 
in  any  collection  of  Scottish  ballads. 

"And  the  best  of  it  is,  Bubble,"  said  Hilda, 
"  that  it  is  all  true,  —  every  word  of  it ;  or  nearly 
every  word." 

"Ill  bet  it  is!"  cried  Bubble,  still  much 
excited.  "  They  could  n't  make  lies  sound  like 
that,  ye  know !  You  kind  o'  know  it 's  true, 
and  it  goes  right  through  yer,  somehow.  When 
did  it  happen,  Miss  Hildy  !  " 

"  Oh !  a  long  time  ago,"  said  Hildegarde ; 
"near  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century.  I 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  131 

forget  just  the   very  year,  but  it  was  in  the 

reign   of    Queen    Elizabeth.       She    was    very 

angry   at   Buccleugh's    breaking   into    Carlisle 

Castle,  which  was  an  English  castle,   you  see, 

and  carrying  off  Lord  Scroope's  prisoner ;   and 

she  sent  word  to  King  James  of  Scotland  that 

he  must  give  up  Buccleugh  to  her  to  punish  as 

she  saw  fit.     King  James  refused  at  first,  for 

he  said  that  Lord  Scroope  had  been  the  first 

to  break  the  truce  by   carrying  off  Kinmont 

Willie  in  time  of  peace ;  but  at  length  he  was 

obliged  to  yield,  for  Queen  Elizabeth  was  very 

powerful,    and    always  would    have   her   own 

way.     So  the  '  bauld  Buccleugh '  was  sent  to 

London  and  brought  before  the  great,  haughty 

English  queen.    But  he  was  just  as  haughty  as 

she,  and  was  not  a  bit  afraid  of  her.    She  looked 

down  on  him  from   her  throne  (she  was  very 

stately,  you  know,  and  she  wore  a  crown,  and 

a  great  stiff  ruff,  and  her  dress  was  all  covered 

with  gold  and  precious  stones),  and  asked  him 

how  he  dared  to  undertake  such  a  desperate  and 


132  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

presumptuous  enterprise.  And  Buccleugh  — 
0  Bubble,  I  always  liked  this  so  much !  — 
Buccleugh  just  looked  her  full  in  the  face, 
and  said,  '  What  is  it  a  man  dare  not  do  !  '  Now 
Queen  Elizabeth  liked  nothing  so  much  as  a 
brave  man,  and  this  bold  answer  pleased  her. 
She  turned  to  one  of  her  ministers  and  said, 
*  With  ten  thousand  such  men  our  brother  in 
Scotland  might  shake  the  firmest  throne  in 
Europe/  And  so  she  let  him  go,  just  because 
he  was  so  brave  and  so  handsome." 

Bubble  Chirk  drew  a  long  breath,  and  his 
eyes  flashed.  "  I  wish 't  I  'd  ben  alive  then  !  " 
he  said. 

"  Why,  Bubble  ?  "  asked  Hilda,  much  amused; 
"  what  would  you  have  done  ?  " 

"  I  'd  ha'  killed  Lord  Scroope  !  "  he  cried,  — 
"  him  and  the  hull  kit  of  'em.  Besides,"  he 
added,  "  I  'd  like  t'  ha'  lived  then  jest  ter  see 
him, — jest  ter  see  the  bold  Buckle-oh;  that's 
what  I  call  a  man  !  "  And  Queen  Hildegardis 
fully  agreed  with  him. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  133 

They  had  nearly  reached  the  house  when  the 
boy  asked :  "  If  that  king  was  her  brother,  why 
did  she  treat  him  so  kind  o'  ugly?  My  sister 
don't  act  that  way." 

"  What  —  oh,  you  mean  Queen  Elizabeth  !  " 
said  Hilda,  laughing.  "  King  James  was  not 
her  brother,  Bubble.  They  were  cousins,  but 
nothing  more." 

"  You  said  she  said  'brother,'"  persisted  the 
boy. 

"  So  I  did/'  replied  Hilda.  "  You  see,  it  was 
the  fashion,  and  is  still,  for  kings  and  queens  to 
call  each  other  brother  and  sister,  whether  they 
were  really  related  to  each  other  or  not." 

"But  I  thought  they  was  always  fightin',  " 
objected  Bubble.  "  I've  got  a  hist'ry  book  to 
home,  an'  in  that  it  says  they  fit  like  time 
whenever  they  got  a  chance." 

"So  they  did,"  said  Hilda.  "But  they 
called  each  other  '  our  royal  brother '  and 
'  our  beloved  sister ; '  and  they  were  always 
paying  each  other  fine  compliments,  and  say- 


134  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

ing  how  much  they  loved  each  other,  even  in 
the  middle  of  a  war,  when  they  were  fighting 
as  hard  as  they  could." 

"  Humph !"  said  Bubble,  "nice  kind  o 
folks  they  must  ha'  been.  Well,  I  must  go, 
Miss  Hildy,"  he  added,  reluctantly.  "  I  Ve 
had  a  splendid  time,  an'  I  'm  real  obleeged 
to  ye.  I  sh'll  try  to  larn  that  story  by  heart, 
'bout  the  bold  Buckle-oh.  I  want  to  tell  it  to 
Pink!  She'd  like  it  —  oh,  my!  wouldn't  she 
like  it,  jest  like  —  I  mean  jest  like  spellin'! 
Good  by,  Miss  Hildy  !  "  And  Bubble  ran  off  to 
bring  home  the  cows,  his  little  heart  swelling 
high  with  scorn  of  kings  and  queens,  and  with 
a  fervor  of  devotion  to  Walter  Scott,  first  lord 
of  Buccleugh. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  135 


CHAPTER  VII. 

PINK   CHIRK. 

ONE  lovely  morning  Hildegarde  stood  at  the 
back  door,  feeding  the  fowls.  She  wore  her 
brown  gingham  frock  with  the  yellow  daisies  on 
it,  and  the  daisy- wreathed  hat,  and  in  her  hands 
she  held  a  great  yellow  bowl  full  of  yellow  corn. 
So  bright  a  picture  she  made  that  Farmer 
Hartley,  driving  the  oxen  afield,  stopped  for 
pure  pleasure  to  look  at  her.  Around  her  the 
ducks  and  hens  were  fighting  and  squabbling, 
quacking,  clucking,  and  gobbling,  and  she  flung 
the  corn  in  golden  showers  on  their  heads  and 
backs,  making  them  nearly  frantic  with  greedy 
anxiety. 

"  Wai,  Huldy,"  said  the  farmer,  leaning 
against  Blight's  massive  side,  "  you  look 


136  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

pooty  slick  in  that  gown,  I  must  say.  I 
reckon  thar  ain't  no  sech  gown  as  that  on 
Fifth  Avenoo,  hey  t  " 

"Indeed,  I  don't  believe  there  is,  Fanner 
Hartley,"  replied  Hilda,  laughing  merrily ;  "  at 
least  I  never  saw  one  like  it.  It  is  pretty,  I 
think,  and  so  comfortable !  And  where  are 
you  going  this  morning  with  the  mammoths  I" 

"Down  to  the  ten-acre  lot,"  replied  the 
farmer.  "  The  men  are  makin'  hay  thar  to- 
day. Jump  into  the  riggin'  and  come  along," 
he  added.  "  Ye  kin  hev  a  little  ride,  an7  see  the 
hay-makin7.  Pooty  sight 't  is,  to  my  thinkin'." 

"  May  It"  cried  Hilda,  eagerly.  "  I  am  sure 
these  fowls  have  had  enough.  Go  away  now, 
you  greedy  creatures  !  There,  you  shall  have 
all  there  is ! "  and  she  emptied  the  bowl  over 
the  astonished  dignitaries  of  the  barn-yard, 
laid  it  down  on  the  settle  in  the  porch,  and 
jumped  gay ly  into  the  u  rigging,"  as  the  great 
hay-cart  was  called. 

"  Haw,  Bright  I  hoish,  Star !  "  said  the  farmer, 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  137 

touching  one  and  then  the  other  of  the  great 
black  oxen  lightly  with  his  goad.  The  huge 
beasts  swayed  from  side  to  side,  and  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  themselves  and  the  cart  in 
motion,  while  the  farmer  walked  leisurely  beside 
them,  tapping  and  poking  them  occasionally,  and 
talking  to  them  in  that  mystic  language  which 
only  oxen  and  their  drivers  understand.  Down 
the  sweet  country  lane  they  went,  with  the 
willows  hanging  over  them,  and  the  daisies 
and  buttercups  and  meadow-sweet  running  riot 
all  over  the  banks.  Hilda  stood  up  in  the  cart 
and  pulled  off  twigs  from  the  willows  as  she 
passed  under  them,  and  made  garlands,  which 
the  farmer  obediently  put  over  the  oxen's 
necks.  She  hummed  little  snatches  of  song, 
and  chatted  gayly  with  her  kind  old  host ;  for 
the  world  was  very  fair,  and  her  heart  was  full 
of  summer  and  sunshine. 

"  And  have  you  always  lived  here,  Farmer 
Hartley  ?  "  she  asked.  "  All  your  life,  I  mean  ?  " 

"No,  not  all   my  life,"  replied   the   farmer, 


138  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

"  though  pooty  nigh  it.  I  was  ten  year  old 
when  my  uncle  died,  and  father  left  sea-farm', 
and  kem  home  to  the  farm  to  live.  Before 
that  we'd  lived  in  different  places,  movin' 
round,  like.  We  was  at  sea  a  good  deal, 
sailin'  with  father  when  he  went  on  pleasant 
voyages,  to  the  West  Indies,  or  sich.  But 
sence  then  I  ain't  ben  away  much.  I  don't 
seem  to  find  no  pleasanter  place  than  the  old 
farm,  somehow." 

"  I  don't  believe  there  is  any  pleasanter  place 
in  the  world  !  "  said  Hilda,  warmly.  "  I  am 
sure  I  have  never  been  so  happy  anywhere 
as  I  have  here." 

Farmer  Hartley  looked  up  with  a  twinkle  in 
his  eye.  "Ye've  changed  yer  views  some, 
Huldy,  hain't  ye,  sence  the  fust  day  ye  kem 
heer  ?  I  did  n't  never  think,  then,  as  I  'd  be 
givin'  you  rides  in  the  hay-riggin',  sech  a  fine 
young  lady  as  you  was." 

Hilda  gave  him  an  imploring  glance,  while 
the  blood  mounted  to  her  temples.  "  Please, 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  139 

Farmer  Hartley,"  she  said  in  a  low  voice, 
" please  try  to  forget  that  first  day.  It  isn't 
my  views  that  have  changed,"  she  added,  "it 
is  I  myself.  I  don't  —  I  really  don't  think  I 
am  the  same  girl  who  came  here  a  month  ago." 
"  No,  my  gal,"  said  the  farmer,  heartily,  "  I 
don't  think  ye  are."  He  walked  along  in 
silence  for  a  few  minutes,  and  then  said,  "'Tis 
curus  how  folks  kin  sometimes  change  'em- 
selves,  one  way  or  the  other.  'T  ain't  so  with 
critturs  ;  't  least  so  fur  's  I  Ve  obsarved.  The 
way  they're  born,  that  way  they'll  stay. 
Now  look  at  them  oxen !  When  they  was 
young  steers,  hardly  more'n  calves,  I  began 
to  train  them  critturs.  An'  from  the  very  fust 
go-off  they  tuk  their  cue  an'  stuck  to  it.  Star, 
thar,  would  lay  out,  and  shake  his  head,  an' 
pull  for  all  he  was  wuth,  as  if  there  was 
nothin'  in  the  world  to  do  but  pull;  and 
Bright,  he'd  wait  till  Star  was  drawin'  good 
an'  solid,  an'  then  he  'd  as  much  as  say,  *  Oh ! 
you  kin  pull  all  that,  kin  ye  t  Well,  stick  to 


140  QUEEN  HILDE  GARDE. 

it,  my  boy,  an'  I'll  manage  to  trifle  along 
with  the  rest  o'  the  load.7  Wo-hoishj  Star ! 
haw,  Bright !  git  up,  ye  old  humbug  !  You  're 
six  year  old  now,  an'  you  ain't  changed  a  mite 
in  four  years,  though  I've  drove  you  stiddy, 
and  tried  to  spare  the  other  every  time." 

The  green  lane  broke  off  suddenly,  and  such 
a  blaze  of  sunlight  flashed  upon  them  that 
Hilda  involuntarily  raised  her  hand  to  shield 
her  eyes.  The  great  meadow  lay  open  before 
them,  an  undulating  plain  of  gold.  The  hay- 
cocks looked  dull  and  gray-green  upon  it ;  but 
where  the  men  were  tossing  the  hay  with  their 
long  wooden  rakes,  it  flashed  pale-golden  in 
the  sunlight,  and  filled  the  air  with  flying 
gleams.  Also  the  air  was  filled  with  the 
sweetness  of  the  hay,  and  every  breath  was  a 
delight.  Hilda  stood  speechless  with  pleasure, 
and  the  old  farmer  watched  her  glowing  face 
with  kindly  gratification. 

"  Pooty  sightly,  ain't  it !  "  he  said.    And  then, 
in  a  graver  tone,  and  removing  his  battered 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  141 

straw  hat,  "  I  don't  never  seem  to  see  the  glory 
of  the  Lord  no  plainer  than  in  a  hay-field,  a 
day  like  this.  Yes,  sir!  if  a  man  can't  be  a 
Christian  on  a  farm  in  summer,  he  can't  be  it 
nowhere.  Amen !  "  and  Farmer  Hartley  put  on 
his  hat  and  proceeded  straightway  to  business. 
"  Now,  Huldy,"  he  said,  "  here  ye  be !  I  'm 
goin*  to  load  up  this  riggin',  an'  ye  kin  stay 
round  here  a  spell,  if  ye  like,  an'  run  home 
when  ye  like.  Ye  kin  find  the  way,  I 
reckon  1 " 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  said  Hilda  ;  "  yes,  indeed  ! 
But  I  shall  stay  here  for  a  while,  and  watch 
you.  And  mayn't  I  toss  the  hay  too  a 
little?" 

But  her  courage  failed  when  she  found  that 
to  do  this  she  must  mingle  with  the  crowd  of 
strange  haymakers;  and  besides,  among  them 
she  saw  the  clumsy  form  and  shock  head  of 
Caliban,  as  she  had  secretly  named  the  clown- 
ish and  surly  nephew  of  her  good  host.  This 
fellow  was  the  one  bitter  drop  in  Hilda's  cup. 


142  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

Everything  else  she  had  learned  to  like,  in  the 
month  which  had  passed  since  she  came  to 
Hartley's  Glen.  The  farmer  and  his  wife  she 
loved  as  they  deserved  to  be  loved.  The  little 
maidservant  was  her  adoring  slave,  and  secretly 
sewed  her  boot-buttons  on,  and  mended  her 
stockings,  as  some  small  return  for  the  lessons 
in  crochet  and  fancy  knitting  that  she  had  re- 
ceived from  the  skilful  white  fingers  which  were 
a  perpetual  marvel  ^j  her.  But  Simon  Hartley 
remained  what  she  had  at  first  thought  him,  — 
a  sullen,  boorish  churl.  He  was  a  malevolent 
churl  too,  Hildegarde  thought ;  indeed  she 
was  sure  of  it.  She  had  several  times  seen 
his  eyes  fixed  on  his  uncle  with  a  look  of  posi- 
tive hatred;  and  though  Farmer  Hartley  was 
persistently  kind  and  patient  with  him,  trying 
often  to  draw  him  into  conversation,  and  make 
him  join  in  the  pleasant  evening  talks  which 
they  all  enjoyed,  his  efforts  were  unsuccessful. 
The  fellow  came  in,  gobbled  his  food,  and  then 
went  off,  if  his  work  was  over,  to  hide  himself  in 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  143 

his  own  room.  Hilda  was  quite  sure  that  Nurse 
Lucy  liked  this  oaf  no  better  than  she  herself 
did,  though  the  good  woman  never  spoke  im- 
patiently or  unkindly  to  him,  —  and  indeed  it 
would  be  difficult  for  any  one  to  like  him,  she 
thought,  except  possibly  his  own  mother. 

Our  Queen  took  presently  her  seat  on  a  right 
royal  throne  of  fragrant  hay,  and  gave  herself 
up  to  the  full  delight  of  the  summer  morning, 
and  of  the  "  Field  of  the  >Cloth  of  Gold,"  as 
she  had  instantly  named  the  shining  yellow 
plain,  which  more  prosaic  souls  knew  as  "  the 
ten-acre  lot."  The  hay  rustled  pleasantly  as 
she  nestled  down  in  it,  and  made  a  little  pent- 
house over  her  head,  to  keep  off  the  keen,  hot 
sun-arrows.  There  was  a  great  oak-tree  too, 
which  partly  shaded  this  favored  haycock,  and 
on  one  of  its  branches  a  squirrel  came  running 
out,  and  then  sat  up  and  looked  at  Hildegarde 
with  bright,  inquisitive  eyes.  A  maiden,  all 
brown  and  gold,  on  a  golden  haycock  !  What 
strange  apparition  was  this?  Had  she  come 


144  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

for  acorns  I  Did  she  know  about  the  four 
young  ones  in  the  snug  little  house  in  the 
hollow  just  above  the  first  branch?  Perhaps 
• —  dreadful  thought !  —  she  had  heard  of  the 
marvellous  beauty  of  the  four  young  ones,  and 
had  come  to  steal  them.  "  Chip  !  "  whisk  ! 
and  Madam  Squirrel  was  off  up  the  branch 
like  a  streak  of  brown  lightning,  with  its  tail 
up. 

-  Hilda  laughed  at  the  squirrel's  alarm,  and 
then  turned  her  attention  to  a  large  green 
grasshopper  who  seemed  to  demand  it.  He 
had  alighted  on  her  knee,  and  now  proceeded 
to  exhibit  his  different  points  before  her  ad- 
miring gaze  with  singular  gravity  and  delib- 
eration. First  he  slowly  opened  his  wings, 
to  show  the  delicate  silvery  gauze  of  the  un- 
der-wings;  then  as  slowly  closed  them,  de- 
monstrating the  perfect  fit  of  his  whole 
wing-costume  and  the  harmony  of  its  colors. 
He  next  extended  one  leg,  calling  her  atten- 
tion to  its  remarkable  length  and  muscular 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  145 

proportions.  Then,  lest  she  should  think  he 
had  but  one,  he  extended  the  other ;  and  then 
gave  a  vigorous  hop  with  both  of  them,  to 
show  her  that  he  did  not  really  need  wings, 
but  could  get  on  perfectly  well  without  them. 
Finally  he  rubbed  himself  all  over  with  his 
long  antennae,  and  then,  pointing  them  full  at 
her,  and  gazing  at  her  with  calm  and  dispassion- 
ate eyes,  he  said  plainly  enough:  "  And  now, 
Monster,  what  have  you  to  show  me  ?  " 

Hildegarde  was  wondering  how  she  could 
best  dispel  the  scorn  with  which  this  majestic 
insect  evidently  regarded  her,  when  suddenly 
something  new  appeared  on  her  gown,  —  some- 
thing black,  many -legged,  hairy,  most  hideous ; 
something  which  ran  swiftly  but  stealthily, 
with  a  motion  which  sent  a  thrill  of  horror 
through  her  veins.  She  started  up  with  a  lit- 
tle shriek,  shaking  off  the  unlucky  spider  as  if 
it  had  been  the  Black  Death  in  concrete.  Then 
she  looked  round  with  flaming  cheeks,  to  see 
if  her  scream  had  been  heard  by  the  hay-mak- 


146  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

ers.  No,  they  were  far  away,  and  too  busy 
to  take  heed  of  her.  But  the  charm  was 
broken.  Queen  Hildegarde  had  plenty  of 
courage  of  a  certain  sort,  but  she  could  not 
face  a  spider.  The  golden  throne  had  become 
a  "  siege  perilous,"  and  she  abdicated  in  favor 
of  the  grasshopper  and  his  black  and  horrent 
visitor. 

What  should  she  do  now  ?  The  charm  of  the 
morning  had  made  her  idle  and  drowsy,  and 
she  did  not  feel  like  going  home  to  help  Nurse 
Lucy  in  making  the  butter,  though  she  often 
did  so  with  right  good-will.  She  looked 
dreamily  around,  her  eyes  wandering  here 
and  there  over  the  great  meadow  and  the  neat 
stone  walls  which  bounded  it.  Presently  she 
spied  the  chimneys  and  part  of  the  red  roof 
of  a  little  cottage  which  peeped  from  a  thick 
clump  of  trees  just  beyond  the  wall.  Who 
lived  in  that  cottage,  Hilda  wondered.  Why 
should  she  not  go  and  see?  She  was  very 
thirsty,  and  there  she  might  get  a  glass  of  water. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  147 

Oil !  perhaps  it  was  Bubble's  cottage,  where  he 
and  his  mother  and  his  sister  Pink  lived.  Now 
she  thought  of  it,  Bubble  had  told  her  that  he 
lived  "  over  beyont  the  ten-acre  lot ;  "  of  course 
this  must  be  the  place.  Slowly  she  walked 
across  the  meadow  and  climbed  the  wall,  won- 
dering a  good  deal  about  the  people  whom  she 
was  going  to  see.  She  had  often  meant  to  ask 
Bubble  more  about  his  sister  with  the  queer 
name ;  but  the  lesson-hour  was  so  short,  and 
there  were  always  so  many  questions  for  Bubble 
to  ask  and  for  her  to  answer  besides  the  regular 
lesson,  that  she  always  forgot  it  till  too  late. 
Pink  Chirk !  what  could  a  girl  be  like  with 
such  a  name  as  that  ?  Hilda  fancied  her  a  stout, 
buxom  maiden,  with  very  red  cheeks  and  very 
black  eyes  —  yes,  certainly,  the  eyes  must  be 
black  !  Her  hair  —  well,  one  could  not  be  so 
sure  about  her  hair ;  but  there  was  no  doubt 
about  her  wearing  a  pink  dress  and  a  blue 
checked  apron.  And  she  must  be  smiling, 
bustling,  and  energetic.  Yes  !  Hilda  had  the 


148  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

picture  of  her  complete  in  her  mind.  She  won- 
dered that  this  active,  stirring  girl  never  came 
up  to  the  farm ;  but  of  course  she  must  have  a 
great  deal  of  work  to  do  at  home. 

By  this  time  Hildegarde  had  reached  the 
cottage;  and  after  a  moment's  hesitation  she 
knocked  softly  at  the  green-painted  door.  No 
one  came  to  open  the  door,  but  presently  she 
heard  a  clear,  pleasant  voice  from  within  say- 
ing, "  Open  the  door  and  come  in,  please !"  Fol- 
lowing this  injunction,  she  entered  the  cottage 
and  found  herself  directly  in  the  sitting-room, 
and  face  to  face  with  its  occupant.  This  was 
a  girl  of  her  own  age,  or  perhaps  a  year  older, 
who  sat  in  a  wheeled  chair  by  the  window. 
She  was  very  fair,  with  almost  flaxen  hair,  and 
frank,  pleasant  blue  eyes.  She  was  very  pale, 
very  thin ;  the  hands  that  lay  on  her  lap  were 
almost  transparent ;  but  —  she  wore  a  pink 
calico  dress  and  a  blue  checked  apron.  Who 
could  this  be  ?  and  whoever  it  was,  why  did 
she  sit  still  when  a  visitor  and  a  stranger  came 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  149 

in  ?  The  pale  girl  made  no  attempt  to  rise,  but 
she  met  Hilda's  look  of  surprise  and  inquiry 
with  a  smile  which  broke  like  sunshine  over 
her  face,  making  it  for  the  moment  positively 
beautiful.  "  How  do  you  do?"  she  said,  hold- 
ing out  her  thin  hand.  "  I  am  sure  you  must 
be  Miss  Hilda  Graham,  and  I  am  Bubble's 
sister  Pink. 

"  Please  sit  down,"  she  added.  "  I  am  so 
very  glad  to  see  you.  I  have  wanted  again 
and  again  to  thank  you  for  all  your  kindness 
to  my  Bubble,  but  I  didn't  know  when  I 
should  have  a  chance.  Did  Bubble  show  you 
the  way ?" 

Hildegarde  was  so  astonished,  so  troubled, 
so  dismayed  that  she  hardly  knew  what  she 
was  saying  or  doing.  She  took  the  slender 
fingers  in  her  own  for  an  instant,  and  then  sat 
down,  saying  hastily:  "Oh,  no!  I  —  I  found 
my  way  alone.  I  was  not  sure  of  its  being 
your  cottage,  though  I  thought  it  must  be 
from  what  Bubble  told  me."  She  paused ;  and 


150  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

then,  unable  to  keep  back  longer  the  words 
which  sprang  to  her  lips,  she  said  :  "  I  fear  you 
have  been  ill,  you  are  so  pale.  I  hope  it  has 
not  been  serious.  Bubble  did  not  tell  me  —  " 

Pink  Chirk  looked  up  with  her  bright,  sweet 
smile.  "  Oh,  no  !  I  have  not  been  ill,"  she  said. 
"  I  am  always  like  this.  I  cannot  walk,  you 
know,  but  I  am  very  well  indeed." 

"  You  cannot  walk  ?  "  stammered  Hilda. 

The  girl  saw  her  look  of  horror,  and  a  faint 
color  stole  into  her  wan  cheek.  "  Did  not  Bub- 
ble tell  you  ?  "  she  asked,  gently ;  and  then,  as 
Hilda  shook  her  head,  "It  is  such  a  matter  of 
course  to  him,"  she  said;  "he  never  thinks 
about  it,  I  suppose,  dear  little  fellow.  I  was 
run  over  when  I  was  three  years  old,  and  I 
have  never  been  able  to  walk  since." 

Hildegarde  could  not  speak.  The  thought 
of  anything  so  dreadful,  so  overwhelming  as 
this,  coming  so  suddenly,  too,  upon  her, 
seemed  to  take  away  her  usually  ready 
speech,  and  she  was  dumb,  gazing  at  the 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  151 

cheerful  face  before  her  with  wide  eyes  of 
pity  and  wonderment.  But  Pink  Chirk  did 
uot  like  to  be  pitied,  as  a  rule ;  and  she  almost 
laughed  at  her  visitor's  horror-stricken  face. 

"You  mustn't  look  so!"  she  cried.  "It's 
very  kind  of  you  to  be  sorry,  but  it  is  n't  as 
if  I  were  really  ill,  you  know.  I  can  almost 
stand  on  one  foot,  —  that  is,  I  can  bear  enough 
weight  on  it  to  get  from  my  bed  to  my  chair 
without  help.  That  is  a  great  thing !  And  then 
when  I  am  once  in  my  chair,  why  I  can  go 
almost  anywhere.  Farmer  Hartley  gave  me 
this  chair,"  she  added,  looking  down  at  it,  and 
patting  the  arm  tenderly,  as  if  it  were  a  living 
friend  ;  "is  n't  it  a  beauty  ?  " 

It  was  a  pretty  chair,  made  of  cherry  wood, 
with  cushions  of  gay -flowered  chintz ;  and 
Hilda,  finding  her  voice  again,  praised  it 
warmly.  "  This  is  its  summer  dress,'*  said  Pink, 
her  eyes  sparkling  with  pleasure.  "  Under- 
neath, the  cushions  are  covered  with  soft  crim- 
son cloth,  oh,  so  pretty,  and  so  warm-looking !  I 

10 


152  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

am  always  glad  when  it  Js  time  to  take  the 
chintz  covers  off.  And  yet  I  am  always  glad 
to  put  them  on  again/'  she  added,  "for  the 
chintz  is  pretty  too,  I  think:  and  besides,  I 
know  then  that  summer  is  really  come." 

"  You  like  summer  best? "  asked  Hilda. 

"  Oh,  yes  !  "  she  replied.  "  In  winter,  of 
course,  I  can't  go  out ;  and  sometimes  it  seems 
a  little  long,  when  Bubble  is  away  all  day,  — 
not  very,  you  know,  but  just  a  little.  But 
in  summer,  oh,  then  I  am  so  happy  !  I  can  go 
all  round  the  place  by  myself,  and  sit  out 
in  the  garden,  and  feed  the  chickens,  and 
take  care  of  the  flowers.  And  then  on  Sun- 
day Bubble  always  gives  me  a  good  ride 
along  the  road.  My  chair  moves  very  easily, 
—  only  see !  "  She  gave  a  little  push,  and 
propelled  herself  half  way  across  the  little 
room. 

At  this  moment  the  inner  door  opened,  and 
Mrs.  Chirk  appeared,  —  a  slender,  anxious-look- 
ing woman,  with  hair  prematurely  gray.  She 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  153 

greeted  Hilda  with  nervous  cordiality,  and 
thanked  her  earnestly  for  her  kindness  to 
Zerubbabel.  "'He  ain't  the  same  boy,  Miss 
Graham,"  she  said,  u  sence  you  begun  givin' 
him  lessons.  He  used  to  fret  and  worrit  'cause 
there  war  n't  no  school,  and  he  could  n't  ha' 
gone  to  it  if  there  was.  Pinkrosia  learned  him 
wha,t  she  could;  but  we  hain't  many  books, 
you  see.  But  now  !  why  that  boy  comes  into 
the  house  singin'  and  spoutin'  poetry  at  the 
top  of  his  lungs,  — jest  as  happy  as  a  kitten  with 
a  spool.  What  was  that  he  was  shoutin'  this 
niornin',  Pinkrosia,  when  he  scairt  the  old  black 
hen  nigh  to  death  ?  " 

"  <  Charge  for  the  golden  lilies  !  Upon  them 
with  the  lance  ! '  "  murmured  Pink,  with  a  smile. 

"  Yes,  that  was  it !  "  said  Mrs.  Chirk.  "  He 
was  lookin'  out  of  the  window  and  pumpin'  at 
the  same  time,  an'  spoutin'  them  verses  too. 
And  all  of  a  sudden  he  cries  out,  '  Ther  7s  the 
brood  of  dark  My  Hen,  scratchin'  up  the  sweet 
peas.  Upon  them  with  the  lance ! '  And  he 


154  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

lets  go  the  pump-handle,  and  it  flies  up  and 
hits  the  shelf  and  knocks  off  two  plates  and  a 
cup,  and  Bubble,  he's  off  with  the  mop-handle, 
chasin'  the  old  black  hen  and  makin'  believe 
run  her  through,  till  she  e'enamost  died  of 
fright.  Well,  there,  it  give  me  a  turn ;  it 
reelly  did ! "  She  paused  rather  sadly,  see- 
ing that  her  hearers  were  both  overcome  with 
laughter. 

"I  —  I  am  very  sorry,  Mrs.  Chirk,  that  the 
plates  were  broken,"  said  Hilda;  "  but  it  must 
have  been  extremely  funny.  Poor  old  hen ! 
she  must  have  been  frightened,  certainly.  Do 
you  know,"  she  added,  "  I  think  Bubble  is  a 
remarkably  bright  boy.  I  am  very  sure  that  he 
will  make  a  name  for  himself,  if  only  he  can 
have  proper  training." 

"  Presume  likely ! "  said  Mrs.  Chirk,  with 
melancholy  satisfaction.  "  His  father  was  a  real 
smart  man.  There  war  n't  no  better  hayin'  hand 
in  the  county  than  Loammi  Chirk.  Arid  I  'm  in 
hopes  Zerubbabel  will  do  as  well,  for  he  has 


HILDA  AND  PINK. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  157 

a  good   friend  in    Farmer   Hartley;     no  boy 
could  n't  have  a  better." 

Eminence  in  the  profession  of  "  haying " 
was  not  precisely  what  Hilda  had  meant ;  but 
she  said  nothing. 

"  And  my  poor  girl  here,"  Mrs.  Chirk  con- 
tinued after  a  pause,  "she  sets  in  her  cheer 
hay-times  and  other  times.  You  Ve  heard  of  her 
misfortune,  Miss  Graham  ?  >J 

Pink  interposed  quickly  with  a  little  laugh, 
though  her  brows  contracted  slightly,  as  if  with 
pain.  "  Oh,  yes,  Mother  dear !  "  she  said  ;  "  Miss 
Graham  has  heard  all  about  me,  and  knows  what 
a  very  important  person  I  am.  But  where  is 
the  yarn  that  I  was  to  wind  for  you  ?  I  thought 
you  wanted  to  begin  weaving  this  afternoon/1 

"  Oh  !  "  exclaimed  Hildegarde.  "  Never  mind 
the  yarn  just  now,  Pink !  I  want  to  give  you 
a  little  ride  before  I  go  back  to  the  farm.  May 
she  go,  Mrs.  Chirk  I  It  is  such  a  beautiful  day, 
I  am  sure  the  air  will  do  her  good.  Would  you 
like  it,  Pink!" 


158  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

Pink  looked  up  with  a  flush  of  pleasure  on 
her  pale  cheek.  "  Oh,"  she  said,  "  would  I 
like  it  I  But  it 's  too  much  for  you  to  do,  Miss 
Graham." 

"  An7  with  that  beautiful  dress  on  too ! " 
cried  Mrs.  Chirk.  "  You  7d  get  it  dusty  on 
the  wheel,  I  'm  afraid.  I  don't  think  —  " 

"  Oh  yes,  you  do  !  "  cried  Hilda,  gayly,  push- 
ing the  chair  towards  the  door.  "  Bring  her  hat, 
please,  Mrs.  Chirk.  I  always  have  my  own 
way  !  "  she  added,  with  a  touch  of  the  old  im- 
periousness,  "  and  I  have  quite  set  my  heart 
on  this." 

Mrs.  Chirk  meekly  brought  a  straw  sun-bon- 
net, and  Hilda  tied  its  strings  under  Pink's 
chin,  every  fibre  within  her  mutely  protesting 
against  its  extreme  ugliness.  "  She  shall  not 
wear  that  again,"  said  she  to  herself,  "if  I  can 
help  it."  But  the  sweet  pale  face  looked  out 
so  joyously  from  the  dingy  yellow  tunnel  that 
the  stern  young  autocrat  relented.  "  After  all, 
what  does  it  matter  ?"  she  thought.  "She  would 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  159 

look  like  an  angel,  even  with  a  real  coal-scuttle 
on  her  head."  And  then  she  laughed  at  the 
thought  of  a  black  japanned  scuttle  crowning 
those  fair  locks ;  and  Pink  laughed  because 
Hilda  laughed ;  and  so  they  both  went  laughing 
out  into  the  sunshine. 


160  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

THE   LETTER. 

"  NURSE  Lucy,"  said  Hildegarde  that  even- 
ing, as  they  sat  in  the  porch  after  tea,  "  why 
have  you  never  told  me  about  Pink  Chirk,  — 
about  her  being  a  cripple,  I  mean  t  I  had  no 
idea  of  it  till  I  went  to  see  her  to-day.  How 
terrible  it  is !  " 

"  I  wonder  that  I  have  n't  told  you,  dear !  " 
replied  Nurse  Lucy,  placidly.  "  I  suppose  I 
am  so  used  to  Pink  as  she  is,  I  forget  that  she 
ever  was  like  other  people.  She  is  a  dear, 
good  child, — his  '  sermon,'  Jacob  calls  her. 
He  says  that  whenever  he  feels  impatient  or 
put  out,  he  likes  to  go  down  and  look  at  Pink, 
and  hear  her  talk.  'It  takes  the  crook  right 
out  of  me ! '  he  says.  Poor  Jacob  ! " 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  161 

"  But  how  did  it  happen  I "  asked  Hilda. 
"  She  says  she  was  only  three  years  when 
she  —  Oh,  think  of  it,  Nurse  Lucy !  It  is 
too  dreadful.  Tell  me  how  it  happened." 

"  Don't  ask  me,  my  dear!  "  said  Dame  Hart- 
ley, sadly.  "  Why  should  you  hear  anything 
so  painful  I  It  would  only  haunt  your  mind  as 
it  haunted  mine  for  years  after.  The  worst  of 
it  was,  there  was  no  need  of  it.  Her  mother 
was  a  young,  flighty,  careless  girl,  and  she 
did  n't  look  after  her  baby  as  she  should  have 
done.  That  is  all  you  need  know,  Hilda,  my 
dear  !  Poor  Susan  Chirk  !  it  took  the  flighti- 
ness  out  of  her,  and  made  her  the  anxious, 
melancholy  soul  she  has  been  ever  since. 
Then  Bubble  was  born,  and  soon  after  her 
husband  died,  and  since  then  she  has  had  a 
hard  time  to  fend  for  herself.  But  Pink  has 
never  been  any  trouble  to  her,  only  a  help  and 
a  comfort ;  and  her  neighbors  have  done  what 
they  could  from  time  to  time." 

Dame  Hartley  might  have  said  that  she  and 


162  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

her  husband  had  kept  this  desolate  widow  and 
her  children  from  starvation  through  many  a 
long  winter,  and  had  given  her  the  means 
of  earning  her  daily  bread  in  summer;  had 
clothed  the  children,  and  provided  comforts 
for  the  crippled  girl.  But  this  was  not  Nurse 
Lucy's  way.  The  neighbors  had  done  what 
they  could,  she  said;  and  now  Bubble  was 
earning  good  wages  for  a  boy,  and  was  sure 
to  get  on  well,  being  bright  and  industrious ; 
and  Mrs.  Chirk  took  in  weaving  to  do  for  the 
neighbors,  and  went  out  sometimes  to  work 
by  the  day ;  and  so  they  were  really  getting  on 
very  well,  —  better  than  one  could  have  hoped. 
Hildegarde  laid  her  head  against  the  good 
Dame's  shoulder  and  fell  into  a  brown  study. 
Nurse  Lucy  seemed  also  in  a  thoughtful  mood ; 
and  so  the  two  sat  quietly  in  the  soft  twilight 
till  the  red  glow  faded  in  the  west,  and  left  in 
its  stead  a  single  star,  gleaming  like  a  living 
jewel  in  the  purple  sky.  All  the  birds  were 
asleep  save  the  untiring  whippoorwill,  who 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  163 

presented  his  plea  for  the  castigation  of  the 
unhappy  William  with  ceaseless  energy.  A 
little  night-breeze  came  up,  and  said  pleasant, 
soft  things  to  the  leaves,  which  rustled  gently 
in  reply,  and  the  crickets  gave  their  usual 
evening  concert,  beginning  with  a  movement 
in  Gr  sharp,  allegro  con  moto.  Other  sound 
there  was  none,  until  by  and  by  the  noise  of 
wheels  was  heard,  and  the  click  of  old  Nancy's 
hoofs ;  and  out  of  the  gathering  darkness  Far- 
mer Hartley  appeared,  just  returned  from  the 
village,  whither  he  had  gone  to  make  arrange- 
ments about  selling  his  hay. 

"Wai,  Marm  Lucy,"  he  said,  cheerfully, 
throwing  the  reins  on  Nancy's  neck  and  jump- 
ing from  the  wagon,  "  is  that  you  settin'  thar? 
'Pears  to  me  I  see  somethin'  like  a  white  apun 
gloomin'  out  o'  the  dark." 

"Yes,  Jacob,"  answered  "Marm  Lucy,"  "I 
am  here,  and  so  is  Hilda.  The  evening  has  been 
so  lovely,  we  have  not  had  the  heart  to  light 
the  lamps,  but  have  just  been  sitting  here 


164  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

watching  the  sunset.  We  '11  come  in  now, 
though,"  she  added,  leading  the  way  into  the 
house.  "  You  '11  be  wanting  some  supper,  my 
man.  Or  did  ye  stop  at  Cousin  Sarah's  I  " 

"  I  stopped  at  Sary's,"  replied  the  farmer. 
"  Ho !  ho !  yes,  Sary  gave  me  some  supper, 
though  she  war  n't  in  no  mood  for  seein' 
comp'ny,  even  her  own  kin.  Poor  Sary !  she 
was  in  a  dretful  takin',  sure  enough ! " 

"  Why,  what  was  the  matter?"  asked  Dame 
Hartley,  as  she  trimmed  and  lighted  the  great 
lamp,  and  drew  the  short  curtains  of  Turkey 
red  cotton  across  the  windows.  "  Is  Abner  sick 
again ! " 

"  Should  n't  wonder  if  he  was,  by  this  time," 
replied  the  farmer;  "but  he  war  n't  at  the  be- 
ginnin'  of  it.  I  '11  tell  ye  how  't  was  ;  "  and  he 
sat  down  in  his  great  leather  chair,  and  stretched 
his  legs  out  comfortably  before  him,  while  his 
wife  filled  his  pipe  and  brought  it  to  him,  —  a 
little  attention  which  she  never  forgot.  "  Sary, 
she  bought  a  new  bunnit  yisterday  ! "  Farmer 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  165 

Hartley  continued,  puffing  away  at  the  pipe. 
"  She 's  kind  o'  savin',  ye  know,  Sary  is  [Nurse 
Lucy  nodded,  with  a  knowing-  air],  and  she 
had  n't  had  a  new  bunnit  for  ten  years.  (I 
d'  'no'  's  she 's  had  one  for  twenty  ! "  he  added 
in  parenthesis  ;  "I  never  seed  her  with  one 
to  my  knowledge.)  Wai,  the  gals  was  pesterin' 
her,  an'  sayin'  she  did  n't  look  fit  to  go  to 
meetin'  in  the  old  bunnit,  so  't  last  she  giv' 
way,  and  went  an'  bought  a  new  one.  'T  was 
one  o'  these  newfangled  shapes.  What  was  it 
Lizy  called  it  ?  Somethin'  Chinese,  I  reckon. 
Fan  Song !  That  was  it !  " 

"  Fanchon,  was  n't  it,  perhaps  ?  "  asked  Hilda, 
much  amused. 

"  That  's  what  I  said,  war  n't  it?"  said  the 
farmer.  "  Fan  Song,  Fan  Chong,  —  wal,  what 's 
the  odds  ?  'T  was  a  queer  lookin'  thing,  anyhow, 
I  sh'd  think,  even  afore  it  —  Wal,  I  'm  comin' 
to  that.  Sary  showed  it  to  the  gals,  and  they 
liked  it  fust-rate  ;  then  she  laid  it  on  the  kitchen 
table,  an'  went  upstairs  to  git  some  ribbons 


166  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

an'  stuff  to  put  on  it.  She  rummaged  round 
consid'able  upstairs,  an'  when  she  kum  down, 
lo  and  behold,  the  bunnit  was  gone !  Wai, 
Sary  hunted  high,  and  she  hunted  low.  She 
called  the  gals,  thinkin'  they  'd  played  a  trick 
on  her,  an'  hidden  it  for  fun.  But  they  hadn't, 
an'  they  all  set  to  an'  sarched  the  house  from 
garrit  to  cellar ;  but  they  did  n't  find  hide  nor 
hair  o'  that  bunnit.  At  last  Sary  give  it  up,  an' 
sot  down  out  o'  breath,  an'  mad  enough  to  eat 
somebody.  l  It 's  been  stole  ! '  says  she.  '  Some 
ornery  critter  kem  along  while  I  was  upstairs,' 
says  she,  l  an'  seed  it  lyin'  thar  on  the  table, 
an'  kerried  it  off ! '  says  she.  i  I  'd  like  to  get 
hold  of  her ! '  says  she  ;  '  I  guess  she  would  n't 
steal  no  more  bunnits  for  one  while  ! '  says  she. 
I  had  come  in  by  that  time,  an'  she  was  teilin' 
me  all  about  it.  Jest  at  that  minute  the  door 
opened,  and  Abner  kem  sa'nterin'  in,  mild  and 
moony  as  usual.  l  Sary/  says  he,  —  ho!  ho! 
ho  !  it  makes  me  laugh  to  think  on 't,  —  '  Sary,' 
says  he,  'I  wouldn't  buy  no  more  baskets 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  167 

without  handles,  ef  I  was  you.  They  ain't 
convenient  to  kerry/  says  he.  And  with  that 
he  sets  down  on  the  table — that  Fan  Chong 
bunnit !  He  'd  been  mixin'  chicken  feed  in  it, 
an*  he  'd  held  it  fust  by  one  side  an7  then  by 
the  other,  an'  he  'd  dropped  it  in  the  mud  too,  I 
reckon,  from  the  looks  of  it :  you  never  seed 
sech  a  lookin'  thing  in  all  your  -bom  days  as 
that  bunnit  was.  Sary,  she  looked  at  it,  and 
then  she  looked  at  Abner,  an7  then  at  the 
bunnit  agin  ;  an'  then  she  let  fly." 

11  Poor  Sarah  !  "  said  Nurse  Lucy,  wiping 
tears  of  merriment  from  her  eyes.  "  What  did 
she  say  1  " 

u  I  can't  tell  ye  what  she  said,"  replied  the 
farmer.  "  What  did  your  old  cat  say  when 
Spot  caught  hold  of  her  tail  the  other  day  ? 
An'  yet  there  was  language  enough  in  what 
Sary  said.  I  tell  ye  the  hull  dictionary  was 
flyin'  round  that  room  for  about  ten  minutes,  — 
Webster's  Unabridged,  an'  no  thin'  less.  An' 
Abner,  he  jest  stood  thar,  bobbin'  his  head  up 


168  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

an'  down,  and  openin'  an'  shettin'  his  mouth,  as 
if  he  'd  like  to  say  somethin'  if  he  could  get  a 
chance.  But  when  Sary  was  so  out  of  breath 
that  she  could  n't  say  another  word,  an'  hed  to 
stop  for  a  minute,  Abner  jest  says,  'Sary,  I 
guess  you  're  a  little  excited.  Jacob  an'  me  '11 
go  out  an'  take  a  look  at  the  stock,'  says  he, 
'  and  come  back  when  you  're  feelin'  calmer.' 
An'  he  nods  to  me,  an'  out  we  both  goes, 
before  Sary  could  git  her  breath  agin.  I 
did  n't  say  nothin',  'cause  I  was  laughin'  so 
inside  't  I  could  n't.  Abner,  he  walked  along 
kind  o'  solemn,  shakin'  his  head  every  little 
while,  an'  openin'  an'  shettin'  his  mouth.  When 
we  got  to  the  stable-door  he  looked  at  me  a 
minute,  and  then  he  said,  '  The  tongue  is  a  on- 
ruly  member,  Jacob  !  I  thought  that  was  kind 
of  a  curus  lookin'  basket,  though  ! '  and  that  was 
every  word  he  said  about  it." 

"  Oh,  what  delightfully  funny  people  !  "  cried 
Hilda.  "  What  did  the  wife  say  when  you 
catne  in  to  supper,  Farmer  Hartley?" 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  169 

"  She  war  n't  thar,"  replied  the  farmer. 
"  She  had  a  headache,  the  gals  said,  and  had 
gone  to  bed.  I  sh'd  think  she  would  have  had  a 
headache,  —  but  thar,"  he  added,  rising  sud- 
denly and  beginning  to  search  in  his  capacious 
pockets,  "I  declar'  for  't,  if  I  hain't  forgotten 
Huldy's  letter !  Sary  an7  her  bunnit  put  every- 
thing else  out  of  my  head." 

Hilda  sprang  up  in  delight  to  receive  the 
envelope  which  the  farmer  handed  to  her  ;  but 
her  face  fell  a  little  when  she  saw  that  it  was 
not  from  her  parents.  She  reflected,  however, 
that  she  had  had  a  double  letter  only  two  days 
before,  and  that  she  could  not  expect  another 
for  a  week,  as  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Graham  wrote 
always  with  military  punctuality.  There  was 
no  doubt  as  to  the  authorship  of  the  letter. 
The  delicate  pointed  handwriting,  the  tiny 
seal  of  gilded  wax,  the  faint  perfume  which 
the  missive  exhaled,  all  said  to  her  at  once, 
"  Madge  Everton." 

With  a  feeling  which,  if  not  quite  reluctance, 
11 


170  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

was  still  not  quite  alacrity,  Hildegarde  broke 
the  pretty  seal,  with  its  Cupid  holding  a  rose 
to  his  lips,  and  read  as  follows :  — 

SARATOGA,  July  20. 

MY  DEAREST,  SWEETEST  HILDA,  —  Can  it  be  possible 
that  you  have  been  away  a  whole  month,  and  that  I 
have  not  written  to  you  ?  I  am  awfully  ashamed  !  but 
I  have  been  so  TOO  busy,  it  has  been  out  of  the  ques- 
tion. Papa  decided  quite  suddenly  to  come  here 
instead  of  going  to  Long  Branch ;  and  you  can 
imagine  the  frantic  amount  of  work  Mamma  and  I 
had  to  get  ready.  One  has  to  dress  so  much  at 
Saratoga,  you  know ;  and  we  cannot  just  send  an 
order  to  Paris,  as  you  do,  my  dear  Queen,  for  all 
we  want,  but  have  to  scratch  round  (I  know  you 
don't  allow  your  subjects  to  use  slang,  but  we  DO 
scratch  round,  and  nothing  else  can  express  it),  and 
get  things  made  here.  I  have  a  lovely  pale  blue 
Henrietta-cloth,  made  like  that  rose-colored  gown  of 
yours  that  I  admire  so  much,  and  that  you  SAID  I 
might  copy.  Mamma  says  it  was  awfully  good  of 
you,  and  that  she  would  n't  let  any  one  copy  her 
French  dresses  if  she  had  them  ;  but  I  told  her  you 
were  awfully  good,  and  that  was  why.  Well,  then  I 
have  a  white  nun's-veiling,  made  with  triple  box- 
plaits,  and  a  lovely  pointed  overskirt,  copied  from  a 
Donovan  dress  of  Mamma's ;  and  a  dark-red  surah, 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  171 

and  oh !  a  perfect  "  frou-frou  "  of  wash-dresses,  of 
course ;  two  sweet  white  lawns,  one  trimmed  with 
Valenciennes  (I  hate  Valenciennes,  you  know,  but 
Mamma  will  make  me  have  it,  because  she  thinks  it 
is  jeunefille  /),  and  one  with  the  new  Russian  lace  ;  and 
a  pink  sateen,  and  two  or  three  light  chambrays. 

But  now  I  know  you  will  be  dying  to  hear  about 
my  hats ;  for  you  always  say  that  the  hat  makes  the 
costume ;  and  so  it  does !  Well,  my  dearest,  I  have 
one  Redfern  hat,  and  only  one.  Mamma  says  I  can- 
not expect  to  have  more  until  I  come  out,  which  is 
litter.  However,  this  one  is  a  beauty,  and  yet  cost 
only  thirty  dollars.  It  goes  well  with  nearly  all  my 
dresses,  and  is  immensely  becoming,  all  the  girls  say  : 
very  high,  with  long  pointed  wings  and  stiff  bows. 
Simple,  my  dear,  does  n't  express  it !  You  know  I 
LOVE  simplicity ;  but  it  is  Redferny  to  a  degree,  and 
everybody  has  noticed  it. 

Well,  my  dearest  Queen,  here  am  I  running  on  about 
myself,  as  if  I  were  not  actually  EXPIRING  to  hear  about 
you.  What  my  feelings  were  when  I  called  at  your 
house  on  that  fatal  Tuesday  and  was  told  that  you 
had  gone  to  spend  the  summer  on  a  farm  in  the  depths 
of  the  country,  passes  my  power  to  tell.  I  could  not 
ask  your  mother  many  questions,  for  you.  know  I  am 
always  a  little  bit  AFRAID  of  her,  though  she  is  per- 
fectly lovely  to  me  !  She  was  very  quiet  and  sweet,  as 


172  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

usual,  and  spoke  as  if  it  were  the  most  natural  thing  in 
the  world  for  a  brilliant  society  girl  (for  that  is  what 
you  are,  Hilda,  even  though  you  are  only  a  school-girl ; 
and  you  NEVER  can  be  anything  else !  )  to  spend  her 
summer  in  a  wretched  farm-house,  among  pigs  and 
cows  and  dreadful  ignorant  people.  Of  course,  Hilda 
dearest,  you  know  that  my  admiration  for  your 
mother  is  simply  IMMENSE,  and  that  I  would  not  for 
worlds  say  one  syllable  against  her  judgment  and  that 
of  your  military  angel  of  a  father ;  but  I  MUST  say  it 
seemed  to  me  MORE  than  strange.  I  assure  you  I 
hardly  closed  my  eyes  for  several  nights,  thinking  of 
the  MISERY  you  must  be  undergoing  ;  for  /  KNOW  you, 
Hildegarde !  and  the  thought  of  my  proud,  fastidious, 
high-bred  Queen  being  condemned  to  associate  with 
clowns  and  laborers  was  really  MORE  than  I  could 
bear.  Do  write  to  me,  darling,  and  tell  me  HOW  you 
are  enduring  it.  You  were  always  so  sensitive ; 
why,  I  can  see  your  lip  curl  now,  when  any  of  the 
girls  did  anything  that  was  not  tout  a  fait  comme 
il  faut!  and  the  air  with  which  you  used  to  say, 
"  The  little  things,  my  dear,  are  the  only  things  ! " 
How  true  it  is !  I  feel  it  more  and  more  every  day. 
So  do  write  at  once,  and  let  me  know  all  about  your 
dear  self.  I  picture  you  to  myself  sometimes,  pale 
and  thin,  with  the  "  white  disdain "  that  some  poet 
or  other  speaks  of,  in  your  face,  but  enduring  all 


QUEEN   HILDEGAKDE.  173 

the  HORKORS  that  you  must  be  subjected  to  with  your 
OWN    DIGNITY.      Dearest   Hilda,     you    are   indeed   a 

HEROINE  ! 

Always,  darling, 
Your  own  deeply  devoted  and  sympathizing 

MADGE. 

Hildegarde  looked  up  after  reading  this  letter, 
and,  curiously  enough,  her  eyes  fell  directly  on 
a  little  mirror  which  hung  on  the  wall  opposite. 
In  it  she  saw  a  rosy,  laughing  face,  which 
smiled  back  mischievously  at  her.  There  were 
dimples  in  the  cheeks,  and  the  gray  eyes  were 
fairly  dancing  with  life  and  joyousness.  Where 
was  the  "white  disdain,"  the  dignity,  the  pallor 
and  emaciation  I  Could  this  be  Madge's  Queen 
Hildegarde  I  Or  rather,  thought  the  girl,  with  a 
sudden  revulsion  of  feeling,  could  this  Hilde- 
garde ever  have  been  the  other !  The  form  of 
"the  minx,''  long  since  dissociated  from  her 
thoughts  and  life,  seemed  to  rise,  like  Banquo's 
ghost,  and  stare  at  her  with  cold,  disdainful 
eyes  and  supercilious  curl  of  the  lip.  Oh  DEAR  ! 
how  dreadful  it  was  to  have  been  so  odious ! 


174  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

How  could  poor  dear  Papa  and  Mamma,  bless 
them,  have  endured  her  as  they  did,  so  patiently 
and  sweetly?  But  they  should  see  when  they 
came  back  !  She  had  only  just  begun  yet ;  but 
there  were  two  months  still  before  her,  and  in 
that  time  what  could  she  not  do  ?  They  should 
be  surprised,  those  dear  parents !  And  Madge 
—  why,  Madge  would  be  surprised  too.  Poor 
Madge  !  To  think  of  her  in  Saratoga,  prink- 
ing and  preening  herself  like  a  gay  bird,  in  the 
midst  of  a  whirl  of  dress  and  diamonds  and 
gayety,  with  no  fields,  no  woods,  no  glen, 
no  —  no  kitchen  I  Hilda  looked  about  the 
room  which  she  had  learned  so  to  love,  try- 
ing to  fancy  Madge  Everton  in  it ;  remember- 
ing, too,  the  bitterness  of  her  first  feeling 
about  it.  The  lamplight  shone  cheerily  on 
the  yellow  painted  walls,  the  shining  floor,  the 
gleaming  brass,  copper,  and  china.  It  lighted 
up  the  red  curtains  and  made  a  halo  round 
good  Nurse  Lucy's  head  as  she  bent  over  her 
sewing  ;  it  played  on  the  farmer's  silver-bowed 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  175 

spectacles  as  he  pored  with  knitted  brows  and 
earnest  look  over  the  weekly  paper  which  he 
had  brought  from  the  village.  The  good,  kind 
farmer !  Hilda  gazed  at  him  as  he  sat  all  un- 
conscious, and  wondered  why  she  had  not  seen 
at  once  how  handsome  he  really  was.  The 
broad  forehead,  with  its  deep,  thoughtful  fur- 
rows ;  the  keen,  yet  kindly  blue  eyes ;  the 
"  sable-silvered  "  hair  and  beard,  which,  if  not 
exactly  smooth,  were  still  so  picturesque,  so 
leonine ;  the  firm,  perhaps  obstinate,  mouth, 
which  could  speak  so  wisely  and  smile  so 
cordially,  —  all  these  combined  to  make  up 
what  the  newspapers  would  call  a  "  singularly 
attractive  exterior."  And  "  Oil  !  how  good  he 
has  been  to  me !  "  thought  Hilda.  "  I  believe 
he  is  the  best  man  in  the  world,  next  to  papa." 
Then  she  thought  of  Madge  again,  and  tried 
to  fancy  her  in  her  Redfern  hat, — pretty  Madge, 
with  her  black  eyes  and  curly  fringe,  under  the 
"  simplicity  "  of  the  heaven-aspiring  wings  and 
bows ;  and  as  she  smiled  at  the  image,  there 


176  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

rose  beside  it  the  fair  head  of  Pink  Chirk,  look- 
ing out  like  a  white  rose  from  the  depths  of  her 
dingy  straw  tunnel.  Then  she  fancied  herself 
saying  airily  (she  knew  just  how  she  used  to 
say  it),  uThe  little  things,  my  dear,  are  the  only 
things  ! "  and  then  she  laughed  aloud  at  the 
very  funniness  of  it. 

"  Hut !  tut !  "  said  Farmer  Hartley,  looking 
up  from  his  paper  with  a  smile.  "  What's  all 
this  1  Are  ye  keepin'  all  the  jokes  to  yerself, 
Huldy?" 

"It  is  only  my  letter  that  is  so  funny,"  re- 
plied Hilda.  "  I  don't  believe  it  would  seem 
so  funny  to  you,  Farmer  Hartley,  because  you 
don't  know  the  writer.  But  have  you  finished 
your  paper,  and  are  you  ready  for  Robin 
Hood?" 

"  Wai,  I  am,  Huldy  !  "  said  the  good  farmer, 
laying  aside  his  paper  and  rubbing  his  hands 
with  an  air  of  pleasurable  anticipation.  "  Tears 
to  me  we  left  that  good-lookin'  singin'  chap  — 
what  was  his  name  ?  " 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  177 

"  Allan-a-Dale  !  "  said  Hilda,  smiling. 

"Ah!"  said  the  farmer;  " Allan-a-Dale. 
Tears  to  me  we  left  him  in  rayther  a  ticklish 
situation." 

"  Oh,  but  it  comes  out  all  right ! "  cried 
Hilda,  joyously,  rising  to  fetch  the  good  brown 
book  which  she  loved.  "  You  will  see  in  the 
next  chapter  how  delightfully  Eobin  gets  him 
out  of  the  difficulty."  She  ran  and  brought 
the  book  and  drew  her  chair  up  to  the  table, 
and  all  three  prepared  for  an  hour  of  solid 
enjoyment.  u  But  before  I  begin,"  she  said, 
"  I  want  you  to  promise,  Farmer  Hartley,  to 
take  me  with  you  the  next  time  you  go  to  the 
village.  I  must  buy  a  hat  for  Pink  Chirk." 


ITS  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE     OLD     CAPTAIN. 

"  LET  —  me  —  see  ! "  said  Farmer  Hartley,  as 
he  gathered  up  the  reins  and  turned  old  Nancy's 
head  towards  the  village,  while  Hildegarde,  on 
the  seat  beside  him,  turned  back  to  wave  a 
merry  farewell  to  Nurse  Lucy,  who  stood  smil- 
ing in  the  porch.  "  Let  —  me  —  see  !  Hev  you 
ben  off  the  farm  before,  Huldy,  sence  you  kem 
here?" 

"  Not  once  ! "  replied  Hilda,  cheerily.  "  And 
I  don't  believe  I  should  be  going  now,  Farmer 
Hartley,  if  it  were  not  for  Pink's  hat.  I  pro- 
mised myself  that  she  should  not  wear  that  ugly 
straw  sun-bonnet  again.  I  wonder  why  any- 
thing so  hideous  was  ever  invented." 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  179 

"A  straw  bunnit,  do  ye  mean?"  said  the 
farmer;  "  somethin'  like  a  long  sugar-scoop,  or 
a  tunnel  like  ?  " 

"  Yes,  just  that!"  said  Hilda;  "  and  coming 
down  over  her  poor  dear  eyes  so  that  she  can- 
not see  anything,  except  for  a  few  inches 
straight  before  her." 

"Wai!"  said  the  farmer,  meditatively,  "I 
remember  when  them  bunnits  was  considered 
reel  hahnsome.  Marm  Lucy  had  one  when 
she  was  a  gal ;  I  mind  it  right  well.  A  white 
straw  it  was,  with  blue  ribbons  on  top  of  it. 
It  come  close  round  her  pooty  face,  an'  I  used 
to  hev  to  sidle  along  and  get  round  in  front  of 
her  before  I  could  get  a  look  at  her.  I  lied 
rayther  a  grudge  agin  the  bunnit  on  that  ac- 
count; but  I  supposed  it  was  hahnsome,  as 
everybody  said  so.  I  never  see  a  bunnit  o' 
that  kind,"  he  continued,  "  without  thinkin'  o* 
Mis'  Meeker  an'  'Melia  Tyson.  I  swan!  it 
makes  me  laugh  now  to  think  of  'em." 

"  Who    were    they  ? "     asked     Hildegarde, 


180  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

eagerly,  for  she  delighted  in  the  farmer's 
stories.  " Please  tell  me  about  them!" 

The  farmer  shook  his  head,  as  was  his  wont 
when  he  was  about  to  relapse  into  reminis- 
cences, and  gave  old  Nancy  several  thought- 
ful taps  with  the  whip,  which  she  highly 
resented. 

"  01'  Mis'  Meeker,"  he  said,  presently,  "  she 
was  a  character,  she  was !  She  did  n't  belong 
hereabouts,  but  down  South  somewhere ;  but 
she  was  cousin  to  Cephas  Tyson,  an'  when 
Cephas'  wife  died,  she  came  to  stop  with  him 
a  spell,  an'  look  out  for  his  children.  Three 
children  there  was,  little  Cephas,  an'  Myrick, 
an'  'Melia.  'Melia,  she  was  a  peart,  lively  little 
gal,  with  snappin'  black  eyes,  an*  consid'ble  of 
a  will  of  her  own;  an'  Mis'  Meeker,  she  was 
pooty  stout,  an'  she  took  things  easy,  jest  as 
they  kem,  an'  let  the  children  —  an'  'Melia 
specially  —  do  pooty  much  as  they  'd  a  mind 
to.  Wai,  one  day  I  happened  in  to  see  Cephas 
about  a  pair  o'  steers  I  was  thinkin'  o'  buy  in'. 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  181 

Cephas  was  out ;  but  Mis'  Meeker  said  lie  'd  be 
right  in,  she  reckoned,  an'  asked  me  to  take  a 
cheer  an'  wait.  So  I  sot  down,  an*  while  I 
was  waiting  in  come  'Melia,  'an'  says  she,  l  Say, 
Aunt  Cilly  (Mis'  Meeker's  name  was  Priscilla) 
—  Say,  Aunt  Cilly,  can  I  go  down  an'  play  with 
Eddie  ?  He  wants  me  to  come,  reel  bad.  Can 
I,  Aunt  Cilly  ? '  l  Not  to-day,  dearie/  says 
Mis'  Meeker ;  '  you  was  down  to  play  with 
Eddie  yesterday,  an'  I  reckon  that  '11  do  for 
one  while  ! '  she  says.  I  looked  at  little  'Melia, 
an'  her  eyes  was  snappin'  like  coals.  She 
did  n't  say  nothin',  but  she  jest  took  an'  shoved 
her  elbow  right  through  the  plate-glass  win- 
der. Ho  !  ho  !  Cephas  had  had  his  house 
made  over,  an*  he  was  real  proud  of  his  plate- 
glass  winders.  I  d'  'no'  how  much  they  'd  cost 
him,  but  't  was  a  pooty  good  sum.  An'  she 
shoved  her  elbow  right  through  it  and  smashed 
it  into  shivers.  I  jumped  up,  kind  o'  startled  by 
the  crash.  But  ol'  Mis'  Meeker,  she  jes'  looked 
up,  as  if  she  was  a  leetle  bit  surprised,  but 


182  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

nothin'  wuth  mentionin'.  i  Why,  honey  !  ' 
says  she,  in  her  slow,  drawlin'  kind  o'  way, 
6 1  did  n't  know  ye  wanted  to  go  that  bad ! 
Put  on  yer  bunnit,  an7  go  an'  play  with  Eddie 
this  minute  ! '  says  she.  Ho  !  ho  !  ho  !  Them 
was  her  very  words.  An7  'Melia,  she  tossed 
her  bunnit  on  (one  o'  them  straw  Shakers  it  was, 
an'  that 's  what  made  me  think  o'  the  story),  and 
jes'  shook  the  glass  out  'n  her  sleeve,  —  /  d'  'no* 
why  the  child  war  n't  cut  to  pieces,  but  she 
did  n't  seem  t'  have  got  no  hurt,  —  and  made 
a  face  at  her  aunt,  an'  off  she  went.  That 's 
the  way  them  children  was  brought  up." 

"Poor  things!"  cried  Hilda.  "What  be- 
came of  them,  Farmer  Hartley  ?  " 

"  'Melia,  she  run  off  an'  married  a  circus  fel- 
ler," replied  the  farmer,  "an*  the  boys,  I  don't 
rightly  know  what  become  of  'em.  They  went 
out  West,  I  b'lieve ;  an'  after  'Melia  married, 
Cephas  went  out  to  jine  'em,  an'  I  ain't  heerd 
nothin'  of  'em  for  years." 

By  this  time  they  were  rattling  through  the 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  183 

main  street  of  the  little  village,  and  presently 
stopped  before  an  unpretending  little  shop,  in 
the  window  of  which  were  displayed  some 
rather  forlorn-looking  hats  and  bonnets. 

"  Here  y'  are,  Huldy  !  "  said  the  farmer, 
pointing  to  the  shop  with  a  flourish  of  his 
whip.  "  Here's  whar  ye  git  the  styles  fust 
hand.  Hev  to  come  from  New  York  to  Glen- 
field  to  git  the  reel  thing,  ye  see." 

"  I  see  ! "  laughed  Hilda,  springing  lightly 
from  the  wagon. 

"  I  '11  call  for  ye  in  'bout  half  an  hour ;  "  and 
with  a  kindly  nod  the  farmer  drove  away  down 
the  street. 

Hildegarde  entered  the  dingy  little  shop  with 
some  misgivings.  "  I  hope  I  shall  find  some- 
tiling  fresh  !  "  she  said  to  herself;  "  those  things 
in  the  window  look  as  if  they  had  been  there 
since  the  Flood."  She  quickly  made  friends 
with  the  brisk  little  milliner,  and  they  were 
soon  turning  over  the  meagre  store  of  hats, 
trimmed  and  untriinmed. 


184  QUEEN   IIILDEGARDE. 

"  This  is  real  tasty  !  "  said  the  little  woman, 
lifting  with  honest  pride  an  alarming  structure 
of  green  satin,  which  some  straggling  cock's 
feathers  were  doing  their  best  to  hide. 

Hilda  shuddered,  but  said  pleasantly, "  Rather 
heavy  for  summer ;  don't  you  think  so  ?  It 
would  be  better  for  a  winter  hat.  What  is 
this  ? "  she  added,  drawing  from  the  farthest 
recesses  of  the  box  an  untrimmed  hat  of  rough 
yellow  straw.  "  I  think  perhaps  this  will  do, 
Miss  Bean." 

"  Oh  my  land,  no  !  you  don't  want  that  !  " 
cried  the  little  milliner,  aghast.  "  That 's  only 
common  doin's,  anyhow ;  and  it 's  been  in  that 
box  three  years.  Them  shapes  ain't  worn 


now." 


"  Never  mind  !  "  said  Hilda,  merrily  ;  "  it  is 
perfectly  fresh,  and  I  like  the  shape.  Just  wait 
till  you  see  it  trimmed,  Miss  Bean.  May  I 
rummage  a  little  among  your  drawers  ?  I  will 
not  toss  the  things  about." 

A  piece  of  dotted  mull  and  a  bunch  of  soft 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  185 

pink  roses  rewarded  her  search ;  and  with  these 
and  a  bit  of  rose-colored  ribbon  she  proceeded 
to  make  the  rough  straw  into  so  dainty  and 
bewitching  a  thing  that  Miss  Bean  sat  fairly 
petrified  with  amazement  on  her  little  hair- 
cloth sofa  in  the  back  shop.  "  Why  !  why ! " 
she  said.  "  If  that  ain't  the  beat  of  all !  It  7s 
the  tastiest  hat  I  ever  see.  You  never  told  me 
you  'd  learned  the  trade  !  " 

This  last  was  rather  reproachfully  said ;  and 
Hilda,  much  amused,  hastened  to  reassure  the 
good  woman. 

"  Indeed,  I  never  learned  the  trade,"  she 
said.  "I  take  to  it  naturally,  I  think;  and  I 
have  watched  my  mother,  who  does  it  much 
better  than  I." 

"She  must  be  a  first-class  trimmer,  then!" 
replied  Miss  Bean,  emphatically.  "  Works  in 
one  o'  them  big  houses  in  New  York,  I  reckon, 
don't  she  ?  " 

Hildegarde  laughed ;  but  before  she  could  re- 
ply, Miss  Bean  went  on  to  say :  "  Wai,  you  're 

12 


186  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE/ 

a  stranger  to  me,  but  you  Ve  got  a  pooty  good 
countenance,  an7  ye  kem  with  Farmer  Hartley ; 
that  's  reference  enough."  She  paused  and  re- 
flected, while  Hildegarde,  putting  the  finishing 
touches  to  the  pretty  hat,  wondered  what  was 
coming.  "  I  was  n't  calc'latin'  to  hire  help  this 
summer,"  continued  the  milliner  ;  "  but  you  're 
so  handy,  and  yer  ma  could  give  ye  idees  from 
time  to  time.  So  if  ye  'd  like  a  job,  I  d'  'no'  but 
I  'd  like  to  hire  ye." 

The  heiress  of  all  the  Grahams  wanted  to 
laugh  at  this  naive  proposal,  but  good  feeling 
and  good  manners  alike  forbade.  She  thanked 
Miss  Bean  for  her  kind  offer,  and  explained  that 
she  was  only  spending  her  school  vacation  at 
Hartley  Farm ;  that  her  time  was  fully  occu- 
pied, etc.,  etc. 

The  little  milliner  looked  so  disappointed 
that  Hilda  was  seized  with  a  royal  impulse,  and 
offered  to  "go  over  "  the  hats  in  the  window 
while  she  waited  for  Farmer  Hartley,  and 
freshen  them  up  a  bit. 


QUEEN   HILDE  GARDE.  187 

"  Well,  I  wish  't  ye  would  !  "  said  poor  Miss 
Bean.  "  Fact  is,  I  ain't  done  so  well  as  I  c'd 
wish  this  season.  Folks  is  dretful  'fraid  oj 
buyin'  new  things  nowadays." 

Then  followed  a  series  of  small  confidences 
on  the  hair-cloth  sofa,  while  Hilda's  fingers  flew 
about  the  forlorn  hats  and  bonnets,  changing  a 
ribbon  here  and  a  flower  there,  patting  and 
poking,  and  producing  really  marvellous  results. 
Another  tale  of  patient  labor,  suffering,  privation. 
An  invalid  mother  and  an  " innocent"  brother 
for  this  frail  little  woman  to  support.  Doctors' 
bills  and  hard  times,  and  stingy  patrons  who 
were  "  as  'fraid  of  a  dollar-bill  as  if 't  was  the 
small-pox."  Hilda's  eyes  filled  with  tears  of 
sympathy,  and  one  great  drop  fell  on  the  green 
satin  hat,  but  was  instantly  covered  by  the 
wreath  of  ivy  which  was  replacing  the  staring 
cock's  feathers. 

"Wai,  I  declare  to  gracious!"  exclaimed 
Miss  Bean.  "  You  'd  never  know  that  for  the 
same  hat,  now,  would  ye  ?  I  thought  't  was 


188  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

han'some  before,  but  it 's  enough  site  han'somei 
now.  I  should  n'  wonder  a  mite  if  Mis'  Peasley 
bought  that  hat  now.  She 's  been  kind  o' 
hankerin'  arter  it,  the  last  two  or  three  times 
she  was  in  here  ;  but  every  time  she  tried  it  on, 
she  'd  say  No,  't  was  too  showy,  she  guessed. 
Wai,  I  do  say,  you  make  a  gret  mistake  not 
goin'  into  the  trade,  for  you're  born  to  it,  that's 
plain.  When  a  pusson  's  born  to  a  thing,  he  's 
thrown  away,  you  may  say,  on  anything  else. 
What  was  you  thinkin'  —  " 

But  at  this  moment  came  a  cheery  call  of 
"Huldy!  Huldy!"  and  Hildegarde,  cutting 
short  the  little  woman's  profuse  thanks  and 
invitations  to  call  again,  bade  her  a  cordial 
good-by,  and  ran  out  to  the  wagon,  carrying 
her  purchase  neatly  done  up  in  brown  paper. 

"  Stiddy  thar !  "  said  the  farmer,  making 
room  for  her  on  the  seat  beside  him.  "  Look 
out  for  the  ile-can,  Huldy  !  Bought  out  the 
hull  shop,  hev  ye?  Wai,  I  sh'll  look  for 
gret  things  the  next  few  days.  Huddup 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  189 

thar,  Nancy  ! "  And  they  went  jingling  back 
along  the  street  again. 

As  they  passed  the  queer  little  shops,  with 
their  antiquated  signboards,  the  farmer  had 
something  to  say  about  each  one.  How  Omni- 
um Grabb  here,  the  grocer,  missed  his  dried 
apples  one  morning,  and  how  he  accused  his 
chore-boy,  who  was  his  sister's  son  too,  of 
having  eaten  them,  —  "  As  if  any  livin'  boy 
would  pick  out  dried  apples  to  eat,  when  he 
hed  a  hull  store  to  choose  from !  "  and  how  the 
very  next  day  a  man  coming  to  buy  a  pair  of 
boots,  Omnium  Grabb  hooked  down  a  pair  from 
the  ceiling,  where  all  the  boots  hung,  and  found 
them  "  chock  full"  of  dried  apples,  which  the 
rats  had  been  busily  storing  in  them  and  their 
companion  pairs. 

How  Enoch  Pillsbury,  the  "  'pottecary,  like 
t'  ha7  killed"  Old  Man  Grout,  sending  him 
writing  fluid  instead  of  the  dark  mixture  for 
his  "  dyspepsy." 

How  Beulah  Perkins,   who   lived   over  the 


190  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

dry-goods  store,  had  been  bedridden  for  nine- 
teen years,  till  the  house  where  she  was 
living  caught  fire,  "  whereupon  she  jumped 
out  o'  bed  an'  grabbed  an  umbrella  an'  opened 
it,  an'  ran  down  street  in  her  red-flannel 
gownd,  with  the  umbrella  over  her  head, 
shoutin',  '  Somebody  go  save  my  bedstid !  I 
ain't  stirred  from  it  for  nineteen  years,  an'  I 
ain't  never  goin'  to  stir  from  it  agin.  Some- 
body go  save  my  bedstid  ! ' 

"  And  was  it  saved  I "  asked  Hilda,  laughing. 

"No,"  said  the  farmer;  "  't  wa' n't  wuth 
savin',  nohow.  Besides,  if 't  hed  been,  she  'd 
ha'  gone  back  to  it  an'  stayed  there.  Hosy 
Grout,  who  did  her  chores,  kicked  it  into  the 
fire ;  an'  she  was  a  well  woman  to  the  day  of 
her  death." 

Now  the  houses  straggled  farther  and  farther 
apart,  and  at  last  the  village  was  fairly  left 
behind.  Old  Nancy  pricked  up  her  ears  and 
quickened  her  pace  a  little,  looking  right  and 
left  with  glances  of  pleasure  as  the  familiar 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  191 

fields  ranged  themselves  along-  either  side  of 
the  road.  Hilda  too  was  glad  to  be  in  the 
free  country  again,  and  she  looked  with 
delight  at  the  banks  of  fern,  the  stone  walls 
covered  with  white  starry  clematis,  and  the 
tangle  of  blackberry  vines  which  made  the 
pleasant  road  so  fragrant  and  sweet.  She 
was  silent  for  some  time.  At  last  she  said, 
half  timidly,  "  Farmer  Hartley,  you  promised 
to  tell  me  more  about  your  father  some  day. 
Don't  you  think  this  would  be  a  good  time? 
I  have  been  so  much  interested  by  what  I 
have  heard  of  him.'7 

"  That 's  curus,  now,"  said  Farmer  Hartley 
slowly,  flicking  the  dust  with  the  long  lash 
of  his  whip.  "  It 's  curus,  Huldy,  that  you 
sh'd  mention  Father  jest  now,  'cause  I  hap- 
pened to  be  thinkin'  of  him  myself  that  very 
minute.  Old  Father,"  he  added  meditatively, 
"  wal,  surely,  he  was  a  character,  Father  was. 
Folks  about  here,"  he  said,  turning  suddenly 
to  Hilda  and  looking  keenly  at  her,  "think 


192  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

Father  was  ravin7  crazy,  or  mighty  nigh  it. 
But  he  war  n't  nothin'  o'  the  sort.  His  mind 
was  as  keen  as  a  razor,  an'  as  straight-edged, 
'xcept  jest  on  one  subject.  On  that  he  was,  so 
to  say,  a  little  —  wal  —  a  little  tetched." 

u  And  that  was  —  ?  "  queried  Hilda. 

"Why,  ye  see,  Huldy,  Father  had  been  a 
sea-farin'  man  all  his  days,  an'  he  'd  seen  all 
manner  o'  countries  an'  all  manner  o'  folks ;  and 
't  ain't  to  be  wondered  at  ef  he  got  a  leetle  bit 
confoosed  sometimes  between  the  things  he  'd 
seen  and  the  things  he  owned.  Long  'n  short  of 
it  was,  Father  thought  he  hed  a  kind  o'  treasure 
hid  away  somewhar,  like  them  pirate  fellers 
used  to  hev.  Ef  they  did  hev  it ! "  he  added 
slowly.  "  I  never  more  'n  half  believed  none 
o'  them  yams ;  but  Father,  he  thought  he  hed 
it,  an*  no  mistake.  '  D'  ye  think  I  was  five  years 
coastin'  round  Brazil  for  nothin'  ? '  he  says. 
'  There 's  di'monds  in  Brazil,'  he  says,  '  whole 
mines  of  'em ;  an'  there 's  some  di'monds  out  o' 
Brazil  too ; '  and  then  he  'd  wink,  and  laugh  out 


QUEEN   HiLDEGARDE.  193 

hearty,  the  way  he  used.  He  was  always 
laughing  Father  was.  An'  when  times  was  hard, 
he  'd  say  to  my  mother,  l  Wealthy,  we  won't  sell 
the  di'monds  yet  a  while.  Not  this  time, 
Wealthy;  but  they  're  thar,  you  know,  my 
woman,  they  're  thar ! '  And  when  my  mother  'd 
say,  i  Whar  to  goodness  be  they,  Thomas  ? ' 
he  'd  only  chuckle  an'  laugh  an'  shake  his  head. 
Then  thar  was  his  story  about  the  ruby  neck- 
lace. How  we  youngsters  used  to  open  our 
eyes  at  that !  Believed  it  too,  every  word  of  it." 

"Oh!  what  was  it?"  cried  Hilda.  "  Tell 
me,  and  I  will  believe  it  too ! " 

"  He  used  to  tell  of  a  Malay  pirate,"  said 
the  farmer,  "  that  he  fit  and  licked  somewhere 
off  in  the  South  Seas,  —  when  he  sailed  the 
'  Lively  Polly,'  that  was.  She  was  a  clipper, 
Father  always  said ;  an'  he  run  aboard  the 
black  fellers,  and  smashed  their  schooner,  an' 
thro  wed  their  guns  overboard,  an'  demoralized 
'em  ginerally.  They  took  to  their  boats  an' 
paddled  off,  what  was  left  of  'em,  an'  he  an7 


194  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

his  crew  sarched  the  schooner,  an'  found  a 
woman  locked  up  in  the  cabin,  —  an  Injin 
princess,  father  said  she  was,  —  an7  they  holdin' 
her  for  ransom.  Wai,  Father  found  out  some- 
how whar  she  come  from,  —  Javy,  or  Mochy, 
or  some  o'  them  places  out  o'  the  spice-box,  — 
an'  he  took  her  home,  an'  hunted  up  her  pa- 
rents an7  guardeens,  an'  handed  her  over  safe 
an7  sound.  They  —  the  guardeens  —  was  gret 
people  whar  they  lived,  an'  they  wanted  to 
give  Father  a  pot  o7  money ;  but  he  said  he 
war  n't  that  kind.  *  I  'm  a  Yankee  skipper  ! ' 
says  he.  '  'T  was  as  good  as  a  meal  o'  vittles 
to  me  to  smash  that  black  feller ! '  says  he.  '  I 
don't  want  no  pay  for  it.  An'  as  for  the  lady, 
't  was  a  pleasure  to  obleege  her/  he  says ;  '  an7 
I  'd  do  it  agin  any  day  in  the  week,  'xcept  Sun- 
day, when  I  don't  fight,  ez  a  rewl,  when  I  kin 
help  it.'  Then  the  princess,  she  tried  to  kiss 
his  hand;  but  Father  said  he  guessed  that 
war  n't  quite  proper,  an'  the  guardeens  seemed 
to  think  so  too.  So  then  she  took  a  ruby 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  195 

necklace  off  her  neck  (she  was  all  done  up  in 
shawls,  Father  said,  an'  silk,  an'  gold  chains, 
an'  fur  an'  things,  so  's  't  he  could  n'  see  nothin' 
but  her  eyes  ;  but  they  was  better  wuth  seem' 
than  any  other  woman's  hull  face  that  ever  he 
see),  and  gave  it  to  him,  an'  made  signs  that 
he  must  keep  that,  anyhow.  Then  she  said 
somethin'  to  one  o'  the  guardeens  who  spoke 
a  little  Portuguese,  Father  understandin'  it  a 
little  too,  and  he  told  Father  she  said  these 
was  the  drops  of  her  blood  he  had  saved,  an' 
he  must  keep  it  to  remember  her.  Jest  like 
drops  of  blood,  he  said  the  rubies  was,  strung 
along  on  a  gold  chain.  So  he  took  it,  an'  said  he 
war  n't  likely  to  forget  about  it ;  an'  then  he  made 
his  bow,  an'  the  guardeens  said  he  was  their 
father,  an'  their  mother,  an'  their  great-aunt,  an7 
I  d'  'no'  what  all,  an'  made  him  stay  to  supper,  an* 
he  did  n't  eat  nothin'  for  a  week  arterward." 

The  farmer  paused,  and  Hildegarde  drew 
a  long  breath.  "Oh!"  she  cried,  "  what  a 
delightful  story,  Farmer  Hartley  !  And  you 


196  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

don't  believe  it  ?  I  do,  every  word  of  it !  I 
am  sure  it  is  true  !  " 

"  Wai,  ye  see,"  said  the  farmer,  meditatively, 
"  Ef  't  was  true,  what  become  o'  the  necklace  ? 
That's  what  I  say.  Father  believed  it,  sure 
enough,  and  he  thought  he  hed  that  necklace, 
as  sure  as  you  think  you  hev  that  bunnit  in 
yer  hand.  But  't  warn't  never  found,  hide  nor 
hair  of  it." 

"  Might  he  not  have  sold  it?  "  Hilda  suggested. 

Farmer  Hartley  shook  his  head.  "  No,"  he 
said,  "  he  war  n't  that  kind.  Besides,  he  thought 
to  the  day  of  his  death  that  he  hed  it,  sure 
enough.  '  Thar 's  the  princess's  necklace !'  he  'd 
say  ;  i  don't  ye  forgit  that,  Wealthy  !  Along 
with  the  di'monds,  ye  know/  And  then  he  'd 
laugh  like  he  was  fit  to  bust.  Why,  when  he 
was  act'lly  dyin',  so  fur  gone  't  he  could  n' 
speak  plain,  he  called  me  to  him,  an'  made 
signs  he  wanted  to  tell  me  somethin'.  I  stooped 
down  clost,  an'  he  whispered  somethin' ;  but 
all  I  could  hear  was  *  diamonds/  and  l  dig,'  and 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  19T 

then  in  a  minute  'twas  all  over.  Poor  old 
Father !  He  'd  been  a  good  skipper,  an'  a  good 
man  all  his  days." 

He  was  silent  for  a  time,  while  Hilda  pon- 
dered over  the  story,  which  she  could  not 
make  up  her  mind  to  disbelieve  altogether. 

"  Wai !  wal !  and.  here  we  are  at  the  old 
farm  agin ! "  said  the  farmer  presently,  as  old 
Nancy  turned  in  at  the  yellow  gate.  "  Here 
I  Ve  been  talkin'  the  everlastin'  way  home,  ain't 
I?  You  must  herry  and.  git  into  the  house, 
Huldy,  for  I  d'  'no'  how  the  machine's  man- 
aged to  run  without  ye  all  this  time.  I  sha'n't 
take  ye  out  agin  ef  I  find  any  thin  's  wrong." 


198  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 


CHAPTER  X. 

A   PARTY    OF    PLEASURE. 

ON  a  certain  lovely  afternoon  the  three  hap- 
piest people  in  the  world  (so  they  styled  them- 
selves, and  they  ought  to  know)  were  gathered 
together  in  a  certain  spot,  which  was  next  to  the 
prettiest  spot  in  the  world. 

"  You  should  have  had  the  prettiest,  Pink," 
said  Hilda,  "but  we  could  not  get  your  chair 
down  into  the  glen,  you  know.  My  poor, 
dear  Pink,  you  have  never  seen  the  glen,  have 
you  ?  " 

"  No, "  answered  Pink  Chirk,  cheerily.  "  But 
I  have  heard  so  much  about  it,  I  really  feel  as 
if  I  had  seen  it,  almost.  And  indeed  I  don't 
think  it  can  be  much  lovelier  than  this  place." 

However  that  might  be,  the  place  they  had 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  199 

chosen  was  certainly  pretty  enough  to  satisfy 
any  one.  Not  far  from  Mrs.  Chirk's  cottage 
was  a  little  pine-grove,  easy  of  access,  and  with 
trees  far  enough  apart  to  allow  the  wheeled 
chair  to  pass  between  them.  And  in  the  grove, 
just  in  a  little  open  space  where  two  or  three 
trees  had  been  cut  away,  was  a  great  black 
rock,  with  ferns  growing  in  all  its  cracks  and 
crannies,  and  a  tiny  birch-tree  waving  like 
a  green  and  white  plume  on  its  top.  And 
at  the  foot  of  the  rock  —  oh,  what  a  won- 
derful thing  !  —  a  slender  thread  of  crystal 
water  came  trickling  out,  as  cold  as  ice  and 
as  clear  as  —  as  itself;  for  nothing  else  could 
be  so  clear.  Bubble  had  made  a  little  wooden 
trough  to  hold  this  fairy  stream,  and  it  gurgled 
along  the  trough  and  tumbled  over  the  end  of 
it  with  as  much  agitation  and  consequence  as 
if  it  were  the  Niagara  River  in  person.  And 
under  the  rock  and  beside  the  stream  was  a 
bank  of  moss  and  ferns  most  lovely  to  behold, 
most  luxurious  to  sit  upon.  On  this  bank  sat 


200  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

Queen  Hildegarde,  with  Bubble  at  her  feet  as 
usual;  and  beside  her,  in  her  chair,  sat  sweet 
Pink,  looking  more  like  a  white  rose  than  ever, 
with  her  fresh  white  dimity  gown  and  her  pretty 
hat.  Hilda  was  very  busy  over  a  mysterious- 
looking  basket,  from  whose  depths  she  now 
drew  a  large  napkin,  which  she  spread  on  the 
smooth  green  moss.  A  plate  of  sandwiches 
came  next,  and  some  cold  chicken,  and  six  of 
Dame  Hartley's  wonderful  apple-turnovers. 

"  Now,  Bubble,"  said  Hilda,  "  where  are 
those  birch-bark  cups  that  you  made  for  us  ? 
I  have  brought  nothing  to  drink  out  of." 

"I'll  fetch  'em,  Miss  Hildy/'  cried  Bubble, 
springing  up  with  alacrity.  "  I  clean  forgot  'em. 
Say,  Pink,  shall  I  —  ?  would  you  ?  "  and  he 
made  sundry  enigmatical  signs  to  his  sister. 

"  Yes,  certainly/'  said  Pink ;   "of  course." 

The  boy  ran  off,  and  Hilda  fell  to  twisting 
pine  tassels  together  into  a  kind  of  fantastic 
garland,  while  Pink  looked  on  with  beaming 
eyes. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  201 

"  Pink,"  said  Hilda,  presently,  "  how  is  it 
that  you  speak  so  differently  from  Bubble  and 
your  mother,  —  so  much  better  English,  I 
mean?  Have  you  —  but  no;  you  told  me 
you  never  went  to  school.7' 

"  It  was  Faith,"  said  Pink,  with  a  look  of 
tender  sadness,  —  "  Faith  Hartley.  She  wanted 
to  be  a  teacher,  and  we  studied  together  always. 
Dear  Faith  !  I  wish  you  had  known  her,  Miss 
Graham." 

"  You  promised  not  to  call  me  Miss  Graham 
again,  Pink,"  said  Hildegarde,  reproachfully. 
u  It  is  absurd,  and  I  won't  have  it." 

"Well,  Hilda,  then,"  said  Pink,  shyly.  "I 
wish  you  had  known  Faith,  Hilda  ;  you  would 
have  loved  her  very  much,  I  know." 

"  I  am  sure  I  should,"  said  Hilda,  warmly. 
"  Tell  me  more  about  her.  Why  did  she  want 
to  teach  when  she  was  so  happy  at  home  ?  " 

"  She  loved  children  very  much,"  said  Pink, 
"  and  liked  to  be  with  them.  She  thought  that 
if  she  studied  hard,  she  could  teach  them  more 

13 


202  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

than  the  district  school  teachers  about  here 
generally  do,  and  in  a  better  way.  I  think  she 
would  have  done  a  great  deal  of  good/'  she 
added,  softly. 

"  Oh  !  why  did  she  die  1  "  cried  Hilda.  "She 
was  so  much  needed!  It  broke  her  father's 
heart,  and  her  mother's,  and  almost  yours,  my 
Pink.  Why  was  it  right  for  her  to  die  I  " 

"  It  was  right,  dear,"  said  Pink,  gently ;  "  that 
is  all  we  can  know.  i  Why '  is  n't  answered  in 
this  world.  My  granny  used  to  say,  — 

"  *  Never  lie  ! 
Never  pry ! 
Never  ask  the  reason  why  !  '  " 

Hilda  shook  her  head,  and  was  about  to 
reply  earnestly;  but  at  this  moment  Bubble 
came  bounding  back  with  something  in  his 
arms,  —  something  covered  with  an  old  shawl ; 
something  alive,  which  did  not  like  the 
shawl,  and  which  struggled,  and  made  plain- 
tive little  noises,  which  the  boy  tried  vainly 
to  repress. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  203 

"  Say,  Miss  Hildy,"  he  cried,  eagerly,  "  do 
ye  like  —  be  still,  ye  critter ;  hesli,  I  tell  ye ! 
—  do  you  like  purps  ?  " 

"  '  Purps,'  Bubble  I "  repeated  Hilda,  wonder- 
ingly.  "  What  are  they  ?  And  what  have 
you  there,  —  your  poor  old  cat  ?  Let  her  go  ! 
For  shame,  you  naughty  boy !  " 

"  Puppies,  he  means,"  whispered  Pink. 

"  'Cause  if  ye  do,"  cried  the  breathless  Bub- 
ble, still  struggling  with  his  shrouded  captive, 
"  I  Ve  got  one  here  as  —  Wai,  thar  !  go  'long, 
ye  pesky  critter,  if  ye  will ! "  for  the  poor  puppy 
had  made  one  frantic  effort,  and  leaped  from  his 
arms  to  the  ground,  where  it  rolled  over  and 
over,  a  red  and  green  plaid  mass,  with  a  white 
tail  sticking  out  of  one  end.  On  being  unrolled, 
it  proved  to  be  a  little  snow-white,  curly  crea- 
ture, with  long  ears  and  large,  liquid  eyes, 
whose  pathetic  glance  went  straight  to  Hilda's 
heart. 

"  Oh,  the  little  darling  !  "  she  cried,  taking 
him  up  in  her  arms;  "the  pretty,  pretty 


204  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

creature  !  Is  he  really  for  me,  Bubble  ?  Thank 
you  very  much.  I  shall  love  him  dearly,  I 
know." 

"  I  'm  glad  ye  like  him,"  said  Bubble,  look- 
ing highly  gratified.  "  Hosy  Grout  giv  him  an7 
another  one  to  me  3Tes'day,  over  't  the  village. 
He  was  goin'  to  drownd  'em,  an'  I  would  n' 
let  him,  an'  he  said  I  might  hev  'em  ef  I 
wanted  'em.  I  knew  Pink  would  like  to  hev 
one,  an'  I  thought  mebbe  you  liked  critters, 


an'  so  —  " 


"Good  Bubble!"  said  Hilda,  stroking  the 
little  dog's  curly  head.  "  And  what  shall  I 
call  him,  Pink  ?  Let  us  each  think  of  a  name, 
and  then  choose  the  best," 

There  was  a  pause,  and  then  Bubble  said, 
"  Call  him  Scott,  after  the  bold  Buckle-oh  !  " 

"  Or  Will,  for  <  the  wily  Belted  Will/  "  said 
Pink,  who  was  as  inveterate  a  ballad-lover  as 
her  brother. 

"  I  think  Jock  is  a  good  name,"  said  Hilde- 
garde,  —  "Jock  o'  Hazeldean,  you  know.  I 


"WITH    MUCH    ENERGY   AND   APPROPRIATE   ACTION.' 


QUEEN    HILDEGARDE.  207 

think  I  will  call  him  Jock."  The  others  as- 
sented, and  the  puppy  was  solemnly  informed 
of  the  fact,  and  received  a  chicken-bone  in 
honor  of  the  occasion.  Then  the  three  friends 
ate  their  dinner,  and  very  merry  they  were 
over  it.  Hildegarde  crowned  Pink  with  the 
pine-tassel  wreath,  and  declared  that  she  looked 
like  a  priestess  of  F  ,.ia. 

"No,  she  don't,"  said  Bubble,  looking  up 
from  his  cold  chicken ;  "  she  looks  like  Lars 
Porsena  of  Clusium  sot  in  his  ivory  cheer,  on'y 
she  ain't  f  erce  enough.  Hold  up  yer  head, 
Pinky,  an'  look  real  savage,  an'  I  '11  do  Hora- 
tius  at  the  Bridge." 

Pink  did  her  best  to  look  savage,  and  Zerub- 
babel  stood  up  and  delivered  "  Horatius  "  with 
much  energy  and  appropriate  action,  to  the  great 
amusement  of  his  audience.  A  stout  stick,  cut 
from  a  neighboring  thicket,  served  for  the 
"  good  Roman  steel ; "  and  with  this  he  cut 
and  slashed  and  stabbed  with  furious  energy, 
reciting  the  lines  meanwhile  with  breathless 


208  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

ferocity.  He  slew  the  "great  Lord  of  Luna," 
and  on  the  imaginary  body  he  — 

"  Right  firmly  pressed  his  heel, 
And  thrice  and  four  times  tugged  amain, 
Ere  he  wrenched  out  the  steel." 

But  when  he  cried  — 

"  What  noble  Lucumo  comes  next 
To  taste  our  Roman  cheer  ?  " 

the  puppy,  who  had  been  watching  the  scene 
with  kindling  eyes,  and  ears  and  tail  of  eager 
inquiry,  could  bear  it  no  longer,  but  flung  him- 
self valiantly  into  the  breach,  and  barked  defi- 
ance, dancing  about  in  front  of  Horatius  and 
snapping  furiously  at  his  legs.  Alas,  poor 
puppy  !  He  was  hailed  as  "  Sextus,"  and  bade 
"  welcome  "  by  the  bold  Eoman,  who  forthwith 
charged  upon  him,  and  drove  him  round  and 
round  the  grove  till  he  sought  safety  and  pro- 
tection in  the  lap  of  Lars  Porsena  herself. 
Then  the  bridge  came  down,  and  Horatius, 
climbing  nimbly  to  the  top  of  the  rock,  apos- 
trophized his  Father  Tiber,  sheathed  his  good 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  209 

sword  by  his  side  (i.  e.,  rammed  his  stick  into 
and  through  his  breeches  pocket),  and  with  his 
jacket  on  his  back  plunged  headlong  in  the 
tide,  and  swam  valiantly  across  the  pine-strewn 
surface  of  the  little  glade. 

Bubble's  performance  was  much  applauded 
by  the  two  girls,  who,  in  the  characters  of  Lars 
Porsena  and  Mamilius,  "  Prince  of  the  Latian 
name,"  had  surveyed  the  whole  with  dignified 
amazement.  And  when  the  boy,  exhausted  with 
his  heroic  exertions,  threw  himself  down  on  the 
pine-needles  and  begged  "Miss  Hildy"  to  sing 
to  them,  she  readily  consented,  and  sang  "  Jock 
o'  Hazeldean "  and  "  Come  o'er  the  stream, 
Charlie  !  "  so  sweetly  that  the  little  fat  birds  sat 
still  on  the  branches  to  listen.  A  faint  glow 
stole  into  Pink's  wan  cheek,  and  her  blue  eyes 
sparkled  with  pleasure ;  while  Bubble  bobbed 
his  head,  and  testified  his  delight  by  drumming 
with  his  heels  on  the  ground  and  begging  for 
more.  "  A  ballid  now,  Miss  Hildy,  please,"  he 
cried. 


210  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

"  Well/'  said  Hildegarde,  nothing  loth, 
"what  shall  it  be?" 

"  One  with  some  fightin'  in  it,"  replied  Bub- 
ble, promptly. 

So  Hildegarde  began :  — 

"Down  Deeside  cam  Inverey, 
Whistling  and  playing: 
He 's  lighted  at  Brackley  gates 
At  the  day's  dawing." 

And  went  on  to  tell  of  the  murder  of  "  bonnie 
Brackley  "  and  of  the  treachery  of  his  young 
wife :  — 

"  There  's  grief  in  the  kitchen, 
And  mirth  in  the  ha' ; 
But  the  Baron  o'  Brackley 
Is  dead  and  awa'." 

So  the  ballad  ended,  leaving  Bubble  full  of 
sanguinary  desires  anent  the  descendants  of  the 
false  Inverey.  "I  —  I  —  I M  like  jest  to  git 
holt  oy  some  o7  them  fellers ! "  he  exclaimed. 
"  They  would  n't  go  slaughterin7  round  no  gret 
amount  when  I  'd  finished  with  em',  I  tell  ye  !  " 
And  he  flourished  his  stick,  and  looked  so  fierce 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  211 

that  the  puppy  yelped  piteously,  expecting 
another  onslaught. 

"And  now,  Pink,"  said  Hilda,  "  we  have  just 
time  for  a  story  before  we  go  home.  Bubble 
has  told  me  about  your  stories,  and  I  want 
very  much  to  hear  one." 

"Oh,  Hilda,  they  are  not  worth  telling 
twice  !  "  protested  Pink ;  u  I  just  make  them 
for  Bubble  when  he  takes  me  out  on  Sunday. 
It 's  all  I  can  do  for  the  dear  lad." 

"  Don't  you  mind  her,  Miss  Hildy,"  said  Bub- 
ble ;  "  they  're  fustrate  stories,  an'  she  tells 
'em  jest  like  p —  'rithmetic.  Go  ahead,  Pink  ! 
Tell  the  one  about  the  princess  what  looked 
in  the  glass  all  the  time." 

So  Pink,  in  her  low,  sweet  voice,  told  the 
story  of 

THE  VAIN  PRINCESS. 

Once  upon  a  time  there  lived  a  princess  who 
was  so  beautiful  that  it  was  a  wonder  to  look 
at  her.  But  she  was  also  very  vain ;  and  her 


212  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

beauty  was  of  no  use  or  pleasure  to  anybody, 
for  she  sat  and  looked  in  her  mirror  all  day 
long,  and  never  thought  of  doing  anything  else. 

The  mirror  was  framed  in  beaten  gold,  but 
the  gold  was  not  so  bright  as  her  shining  locks ; 
and  all  about  its  rim  great  sapphires  were  set, 
but  they  were  dim  and  gray,  compared  with  the 
blue  of  her  lovely  eyes.  So  there  she  sat  all 
day  in  a  velvet  chair,  clad  in  a  satin  gown 
with  fringes  of  silver  and  pearl ;  and  nobody 
in  the  world  was  one  bit  the  better  for  her  or 
her  beauty. 

Now,  one  day  the  princess  looked  at  herself 
so  long  and  so  earnestly  that  she  fell  fast  asleep 
in  her  velvet  chair,  with  the  golden  mirror  in 
her  lap.  While  she  slept,  a  gust  of  wind  blew 
the  casement  window  open,  and  a  rose  that  was 
growing  on  the  wall  outside  peeped  in.  It 
was  a  poor  little  feeble  white  rose,  which  had 
climbed  up  the  wall  in  a  straggling  fashion, 
and  had  no  particular  strength  or  beauty  or 
sweetness.  Every  one  who  saw  it  from  the 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  213 

outside  said,  "  What  a  wretched  little  plant ! 
Why  is  it  not  cut  down  ?  "  and  the  rose  trembled 
when  it  heard  this,  for  it  was  as  fond  of  life  as 
if  it  were  beautiful,  and  it  still  hoped  for  better 
days.  Inside,  no  one  thought  about  it  at  all; 
for  the  beautiful  princess  never  left  her  chair 
to  open  the  window. 

Now,  when  the  rose  saw  the  princess  it  was 
greatly  delighted,  for  it  had  often  heard  of  her 
marvellous  beauty.  It  crept  nearer  and  nearer, 
and  gazed  at  the  golden  wonder  of  her  hair, 
her  ivory  skin  under  which  the  blushes  came 
and  went  as  she  slept,  and  her  smiling  lips. 
"  Ah  !  "  sighed  the  rose,  "  if  I  had  only  a  tinge 
of  that  lovely  red,  I  should  be  finer  than  all  the 
other  roses."  And  as  it  gazed,  the  thought  came 
into  its  mind:  "  Why  should  I  not  steal  a  little 
of  this  wondrous  beauty  ?  Here  it  is  of  no  use 
to  anybody.  If  I  had  it,  I  would  delight  every 
one  who  passed  by  with  my  freshness  and 
sweetness,  and  people  would  be  the  better  for 
seeing  a  thing  so  lovely." 


214  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

So  the  rose  crept  to  the  princess's  feet,  and 
climbed  up  over  her  satin  gown,  and  twined 
about  her  neck  and  arms,  and  about  her  lovely 
golden  head.  And  it  stole  the  blush  from  her 
cheek,  and  the  crimson  from  her  lips,  and  the 
gold  from  her  hair.  And  the  princess  grew 
pale  and  paler;  but  the  rose  blushed  red  and 
redder,  and  its  golden  heart  made  the  room 
bright,  and  its  sweetness  filled  the  air.  It 
grew  and  grew,  and  now  new  buds  and  leaves 
and  blossoms  appeared  ;  and  when  at  last  it  left 
the  velvet  chair  and  climbed  out  of  the  case- 
ment again,  it  w^as  a  glorious  plant,  such  as 
had  never  before  been  seen.  All  the  passers-by 
stopped  to  look  at  it  and  admire  it.  Little 
children  reached  up  to  pluck  the  glowing 
blossoms,  and  sick  and  weary  people  gained 
strength  and  courage  from  breathing  their  de- 
licious perfume.  The  world  was  better  and 
happier  for  the  rose,  and  the  rose  knew  it,  and 
was  glad. 

But  when  the  princess  awoke,  she  took  up 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  215 

her  golden  mirror  again,  and  looking  in  it,  saw 
a  pale  and  wrinkled  and  gray-haired  woman 
looking  at  her.  Then  she  shrieked,  and  flung 
the  mirror  on  the  ground,  and  rushed  out  of 
her  palace  into  the  wide  world.  And  wherever 
she  went  she  cried,  "  I  am  the  beautiful  princess  ! 
Look  at  me  and  see  my  beauty  ;  for  I  will  show 
it  to  you  now  !  "  But  nobody  looked  at  her, 
for  she  was  withered  and  ugly ;  and  nobody 
cared  for  her,  because  she  was  selfish  and  vain. 
So  she  made  no  more  difference  in  the  world 
than  she  had  made  before.  But  the  rose  is 
blossoming  still,  and  fills  the  air  with  its 
sweetness. 

"  My  Pink,"  said  Hildegarde,  tenderl}r,  as  she 
walked  beside  her  friend's  chair  on  their  home- 
ward way,  "  you  are  shut  up  like  the  princess ; 
but  instead  of  the  rose  stealing  your  sweetness, 
you  have  stolen  the  sweetness  of  all  the  roses, 
and  taken  it  into  your  prison  with  you." 

"  I  '  shut  up/  Hilda  ?  "  cried  Pink,  opening 


216  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE, 

wide  eyes  of  wonder  and  reproach.  "  Do  you 
call  this  being  shut  up  ?  See  what  I  have  had 
to-day  !  Enough  pleasure  to  think  about  for  a 
year.  And  even  without  it,  —  even  before  you 
carne,  Hilda,  —  why,  I  am  the  happiest  girl  in 
the  world,  and  I  ought  to  be." 

Hildegarde  stooped  and  kissed  the  pale  fore- 
head. "  Yes,  dear,  I  think  you  are,"  she  said ; 
"but  I  should  like  you  to  have  all  the  pleasant 
and  bright  and  lovely  things  in  the  world,  my 
Pink." 

"  Well,  I  have  the  best  of  them,"  said  Pink 
Chirk,  smiling  brightly,  —  "home  and  love, 
and  friends  and  flowers.  And  as  for  the  rest, 
why,  dear  Hilda,  what  is  the  use  in  thinking 
about  tilings  one  has  not  ? " 

After  this,  which  was  part  of  Pink's  little 
code  of  philosophy,  she  fell  a-musing  happily, 
while  Hilda  walked  beside  her  in  a  kind  of 
silent  rage,  almost  hating  herself  for  the  fulness 
of  vigor,  the  superabundant  health  and  buoy- 
ancy, which  she  felt  in  every  limb.  She 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  217 

looked  sidelong  at  the  transparent  cheek,  the 
wasted  frame,  the  unearthly  radiance  of  the 
blue  eyes.  This  girl  was  just  her  own  age,  and 
had  never  walked !  It  could  not,  it  must  not, 
be  so  always.  Thoughts  thronged  into  her 
mind  of  the  great  New  York  physicians  and 
the  wonders  they  had  wrought.  Might  it  not 
be  possible  I  Could  not  something  be  done  ? 
The  blood  coursed  more  quickly  through  her 
veins,  and  she  laid  her  hand  on  that  of  the 
crippled  girl  with  a  sudden  impulse  of  protec- 
tion and  tenderness. 

Pink  Chirk  looked  up  with  a  wondering 
smile.  "  Why,  Hildegarde,"  she  said,  "you 
look  like  the  British  warrior  queen  you  told 
me  about  yesterday.  I  was  just  thinking 
what  a  comfort  it  is  to  live  now,  instead  of  in 
those  dreadful  murdering  times  that  the  ballads 
tell  of." 

"  I  druther  ha'  lived  then  !  "  cried  Bubble, 
from  behind  the  chair.  "  If  I  bed,  I  'd  ha'  got 
hold  o'  that  Inverey  feller." 


218  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

THE    WARRIOR   QUEEN. 

HAPPILY,  happily,  the  days  and  weeks  slipped 
by  at  Hartley  Farm ;  and  now  September  was 
half  gone,  and  in  two  weeks  more  Hilda's 
parents  would  return.  The  letter  had  just 
arrived  which  fixed  the  date  of  their  home- 
coming, and  Hildegarde  had  carried  it  upstairs 
to  feast  on  it  in  her  own  room.  She  sat  by  the 
window  in  the  little  white  rocking-chair,  and 
read  the  words  over  and  over  again.  In  two 
weeks  —  really  in  two  little  weeks  —  she  should 
see  her  mother  again  !  It  was  too  good  to  be 
true. 

"  Dragons,  do  you  hear  ?  "  she  cried,  turning 
towards  the  wash-handstand.  "  You  have  seen 
my  mother,  Dragons,  and  she  has  washed  her 


QUEEN  PIILDEGARDE.  219 

little  blessed  face  in  your  bowl.  I  should  think 
that  might  have  stopped  your  ramping,  if  any- 
thing could.  Or  have  you  been  waving  your 
paws  for  joy  ever  since  ?  I  may  have  been 
unjust  to  you,  Dragons.' ' 

The  blue  dragons,  as  usual,  refused  to  com- 
mit themselves  ;  and,  as  usual,  the  gilt  cherubs 
round  the  looking-glass  were  shocked  at  their 
rudeness,  and  tried  to  atone  for  it  by  smiling 
as  hard  as  they  possibly  could. 

"  Such  dear,  sympathetic  cherubs  !  "  said  the 
happy  girl,  bending  forward  to  kiss  one  of  them 
as  she  was  brushing  her  hair.  "  You  do  not 
ramp  and  glower  when  one  tells  you  that  one's 
mother  is  coming  home.  I  know  you  are  glad, 
you  dear  old  things  ! n 

And  then,  suddenly,  even  while  she  was 
laughing  at  the  cherubs,  a  thought  struck  her 
which  sent  a  pang  through  her  heart.  The 
cherubs  would  still  smile,  just  the  same,  when 
she  was  gone  !  Ah  !  it  was  not  all  delight,  this 

great  news.     There  was  sorrow  mingled  with 

14 


220  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE 

the  rapture.  Her  heart  was  with  her  parents, 
of  course.  The  mere  thought  of  seeing  her 
mother's  face,  of  hearing  her  father's  voice,  sent 
the  blood  dancing  through  her  veins.  And  yet 

—  she  must  leave  the  farm ;  she  must  leave  Nurse 
Lucy  and  the  farmer,  and  they  would  miss  her. 
They  loved  her;  ah!  how  could  they  help  it, 
when  she  loved  them  so  much  ?     And  the  pain 
came  again  at  her  heart  as  she  recalled  the  sad 
smile  with  which  the  farmer  had  handed  her 
this  letter.     "  Good  news  for  you,  Huldy,"  he 
said,  "  but  bad  for  the  rest  of  us,  I  reckon ! " 
Had  he  had  word  also,  or  did  he  just  know  that 
this  was  about  the  time  they  had  meant  to  re- 
turn ?     Oh,  but  she  would  come  out  so  often 
to   the   farm  !      Papa   and  mamma   would   be 
willing,  would  wish  her  to  come ;  and  she  could 
not  live  long  at  a  time  in  town,  without  refresh- 
ing herself  with  a  breath  of  real  air,  country  air. 
She  might  have  wilted  along  somehow  for  six- 
teen years ;  but  she  had  never  been  really  alive 

—  had  she  ?  —  till  this  summer. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  221 

Pink  and  Bubble  too  !  they  would  miss  her 
almost  as  much.  But  that  did  not  trouble  her, 
for  she  had  a  plan  in  her  head  for  Pink  and 
Bubble,  —  a  great  plan,  which  was  to  be  whis- 
pered to  Papa  almost  the  very  moment  she  saw 
him,  —  not  quite  the  very  moment,  but  the  next 
thing  to  it.  The  plan  would  please  Nurse  Lucy 
and  the  farmer  too,  —  would  please  them  almost 
as  much  as  it  delighted  her  to  think  about  it. 

Happy  thought !  She  would  go  down  now 
and  tell  the  farmer  about  it.  Nurse  Lucy  was 
lying  down  with  a  bad  headache,  she  knew ; 
but  the  farmer  was  still  in  the  kitchen.  She 
heard  him  moving  about  now,  though  he  had 
said  he  was  going  off  to  the  orchard.  She 
would  steal  in  softly  and  startle  him,  and  then  — 

Full  of  happy  and  loving  thoughts,  Hil- 
degarde  slipped  quietly  down  the  stairs  and 
across  the  hall,  and  peeped  in  at  the  kitchen- 
door  to  see  what  the  farmer  was  doing.  He 
was  at  the  farther  end  of  the  room,  with  his 
back  turned  to  her,  stooping  down  over  his 


222  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

desk.  What  was  he  doing  ?  What  a  singular 
attitude  he  was  in !  Then,  all  in  a  moment, 
Hilda's  heart  seemed  to  stop  beating,  and  her 
breath  came  thick  and  short ;  for  she  saw  that 
this  man  before  her  was  not  the  farmer.  The 
farmer  had  not  long  elf-locks  of  black  hair 
straggling  over  his  coat-collar;  he  was  not 
round-shouldered  or  bow-legged ;  above  all, 
he  would  not  be  picking  the  lock  of  his  own 
desk,  for  this  was  what  the  man  before  her 
was  doing.  Silent  as  her  own  shadow,  Hilde- 
garde  slipped  back  into  the  hall  and  stood  still 
a  moment,  collecting  her  thoughts.  What  should 
she  do  1  Call  Dame  Hartley!  The  "poor 
dear"  was  suffering  much,  and  why  should  she 
be  disturbed  ?  Run  to  find  the  farmer  ?  She 
might  have  to  run  all  over  the  farm  !  No ; 
she  would  attend  to  this  herself.  She  was  not 
in  the  least  afraid.  She  knew  pretty  well 
what  ugly  face  would  look  up  at  her  when 
she  spoke ;  for  she  felt  sure  that  the  slouching, 
ungainly  figure  was  that  of  Simon  Hartley. 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  223 

Her  heart  burned  with  indignation  against 
the  graceless,  thankless  churl  who  could  rob 
the  man  on  whose  charity  he  had  been  living 
for  two  years.  She  made  a  step  forward,  with 
words  of  righteous  wrath  on  her  lips ;  then 
paused,  as  a  new  thought  struck  her.  This 
man  was  an  absolute  ruffian ;  and  though  she 
believed  him  to  be  an  absolute  coward  also, 
still  he  must  know  that  she  and  Dame  Hartley 
were  alone  in  the  house.  He  must  know  also 
that  the  farmer  was  at  some  distance,  else  he 
would  not  have  ventured  to  do  this.  What 
should  she  do  ?  she  asked  herself  again.  She 
looked  round  her,  and  her  eyes  fell  upon  the 
old  horse-pistol  which  rested  on  a  couple  of 
hooks  over  the  door.  The  farmer  had  taken 
it  down  only  a  day  or  two  before,  to  show  it 
to  her  and  tell  her  its  story.  It  was  not  loaded, 
but  Simon  did  not  know  that.  She  stepped 
lightly  up  on  a  chair,  and  in  a  moment  had 
taken  the  pistol  down.  It  was  a  formidable- 
looking  weapon,  and  Hildegarde  surveyed  it 


224  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

with  much  satisfaction  as  she  turned  once  more 
to  enter  the  kitchen.  Unloaded  as  it  was,  it 
gave  her  a  feeling  of  entire  confidence ;  and 
her  voice  was  quiet  and  steady  as  she  said : 

"  Simon  Hartley,  what  are  you  doing  to 
your  uncle's  desk  ?  " 

The  man  started  violently  and  turned  round, 
his  hands  full  of  papers,  which  he  had  taken 
from  one  of  the  drawers.  He  changed  color 
when  he  saw  "  the  city  gal,"  as  he  invariably 
termed  Hilda,  and  he  answered  sullenly, 
"Gitt'n  someth'n  for  Uncle." 

"  That  is  not  true,"  said  Hildegarde,  quietly. 
"I  have  heard  your  uncle  expressly  forbid 
you  to  go  near  that  desk.  Put  those  papers 
back !  " 

The  man  hesitated,  his  little,  ferret  eyes  shift- 
ing uneasily  from  her  to  the  desk  and  back 
again.  "  I  guess  I  ain't  goin'  to  take  orders 
from  no  gal ! "  he  muttered,  huskily. 

"  Put  those  papers  back ! "  repeated  Hilde- 
garde sternly,  with  a  sudden  light  in  her  gray 


QUEEN   HILDE&ARDE.  225 

eyes  which  made  the  rascal  step  backward 
and  thrust  the  papers  hurriedly  into  the 
drawer.  After  which  he  began  to  bluster,  as 
is  the  manner  of  cowards.  "  Pooty  thing,  city 
gals  comin'  hectorin'  round  with  their  airs 
an7  —  " 

"  Shut  the  drawer !  "  said  Hildegarde,  quietly. 

But  Simon's  sluggish  blood  was  warmed  by 
his  little  bluster,  and  he  took  courage  as  he 
reflected  that  this  was  only  a  slight  girl,  and 
that  no  one  else  was  in  the  house  except  "  Old 
Harm,"  and  that  many  broad  meadows  inter- 
vened between  him  and  the  farmer's  stout  arm. 
He  would  frighten  her  a  bit,  and  get  the  money 
after  all. 

"  We  '11  see  about  that ! "  he  said,  taking  a 
step  towards  Hilda,  with  an  evil  look  in  his  red 
eyes.  "  I  '11  settle  a  little  account  with  you 
fust,  my  fine  lady.  I  '11  teach  you  to  come 
spyin'  round  on  me  this  way.  Ye  ain't  give 
me  a  civil  word  sence  ye  come  here,  an'  I  '11 

pay  ye  — " 


226  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

Here  Simon  stopped  suddenly  ;  for  without 
a  word  Hildegarde  had  raised  the  pistol  (which 
he  had  not  seen  before,  as  her  hand  was  behind 
her),  and  levelled  it  full  at  his  head,  keeping 
her  eyes  steadily  fixed  on  him.  With  a  howl 
of  terror  the  wretch  staggered  back,  putting 
up  his  hands  to  ward  off  the  expected  shot. 

"  Don't  shoot !  "  he  gasped,  while  his  color 
changed  to  a  livid  green.  "I  —  I  did  n't 
mean  nothin';  I  swar  I  didn't,  Miss  Graham. 
I  was  only  —  foolin' !  "  and  he  tried  to  smile  a 
sickly  smile ;  but  his  eyes  fell  before  the  stern 
glance  of  the  gray  eyes  fixed  so  unwaveringly 
on  him. 

"  Go  to  your  room  ! "  said  Hilda,  briefty.  He 
hesitated.  The  lock  clicked,  and  the  girl  took 
deliberate  aim. 

"  I  'm  goin' ! "  shrieked  the  rascal,  and  began 
backing  towards  the  door,  while  Hilda  followed 
step  by  step,  still  covering  him  with  her  deadly 
(!)  weapon.  They  crossed  the  kitchen  and  the 
back  hall  in  this  way,  and  Simon  stumbled 


"GO  TO  YOUR  ROOM!'  SAID  HlLDA.' 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  229 

against  the  narrow  stairs  which  led  to  his 
garret  room. 

"  I  dass  n't  turn  round  to  g'  up  !  "  he  whined  ; 
"ye '11  shoot  me  in  the  back."  No  answer; 
but  the  lock  clicked  again,  more  ominously 
than  before.  He  turned  and  fled  up  the  stairs, 
muttering  curses  under  his  breath.  Hildegarde 
closed  the  door  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs,  which 
generally  stood  open,  bolted  it,  and  pushed  a 
heavy  table  against  it.  Then  she  went  back 
into  the  kitchen,  sat  down  in  her  own  little 
chair,  and  —  laughed  ! 

Yes,  laughed  !  The  absurdity  of  the  whole 
episode,  the  ruffian  quaking  and  fleeing  before 
the  empty  pistol,  her  own  martial  fierceness 
and  sanguinary  determination,  struck  her  with 
irresistible  force,  and  peal  after  peal  of  silvery 
laughter  rang  through  the  kitchen.  Perhaps 
it  was  partly  hysterical,  for  her  nerves  were 
unconsciously  strung  to  a  high  pitch  ;  but 
she  was  still  laughing,  and  still  holding  the 
terrible  pistol  in  her  hand,  when  Dame  Hart- 


230  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

ley  entered  the  kitchen,  looking  startled  and 
uneasy. 

11  Dear  Hilda,"  said  the  good  woman,  "  what 
has  been  going  on  ?  I  thought  surely  I  heard 
a  man's  voice  here.  And  —  why  !  good  gra- 
cious, child !  wiiat  are  you  doing  with  that 
pistol?" 

Hildegarde  saw  that  there  was  nothing  for  it 
but  to  tell  the  simple  truth,  which  she  did  in  as 
few  words  as  possible,  trying  to  make  light 
of  the  whole  episode.  But  Dame  Hartley  was 
not  to  be  deceived,  arid  saw  at  once  the  full 
significance  of  what  had  happened.  She  was 
deeply  moved.  "  My  dear,  brave  child,"  she 
said,  kissing  Hilda  warmly,  a  to  think  of 
your  facing  that  great  villain  and  driving  him 
away !  The  courage  of  you !  Though  to  be 
sure,  any  one  could  see  it  in  your  eyes,  and 
your  father  a  soldier  so  many  of  his  days  too." 

"  Oh  !  it  was  not  I  who  frightened  him,"  said 
honest  Hilda,  "  it  was  the  old  pistol."  But 
Nurse  Lucy  only  shook  her  head  and  kissed 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  231 

her  again.  The  thought  of  Simon's  ingratitude 
and  treachery  next  absorbed  her  mind,  and 
tears  of  anger  stood  in  her  kind  blue  eyes. 

"  It  was  a  black  day  for  my  poor  man,"  she 
said,  "  when  he  brought  that  fellow  to  the 
house.  I  mistrusted  him  from  the  first  look 
at  his  sulky  face.  A  man  who  can't  look  you 
in  the  eyes,  —  well,  there  !  that 's  my  opinion 
of  him  !  " 

"  Why  did  the  farmer  bring  him  here  ? " 
asked  Hilda.  "I  have  often  wondered." 

"Why,  'tis  a  long  story,  my  dear,"  said 
Nurse  Lucy,  smoothing  her  apron  and  pre- 
paring for  a  comfortable  chat  ( "  For,"  she  said, 
"  Simon  will  not  dare  to  stir  from  his  room, 
even  if  he  could  get  out,  which  he  can't"). 
"  Of  all  his  brothers,  my  husband  loved  his 
brother  Simon  best.  He  was  a  handsome, 
clever  fellow,  Simon  was.  Don't  you  remem- 
ber, my  dear,  Farmer  speaking  of  him  one  day 
when  you  first  came  here,  and  telling  how  he 
wanted  to  be  a  gentleman ;  and  I  turned  the 


232  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

talk  when  you  asked  what  became  of  him  ?  " 
Hilda  nodded  assent.  "Well,"  Nurse  Lucy 
continued,  "  that  was  because  no  good  came 
of  him,  and  I  knew  it  vexed  Farmer  to  think  on 
it,  let  alone  Simon's  son  being  there.  It  was 
all  through  his  wanting  to  be  a  gentleman  that 
Simon  got  into  bad  ways.  Making  friends  with 
people  who  had  money,  he  got  to  thinking  he 
must  have  it,  or  must  make  believe  he  had  it ; 
so  he  spent  all  he  had,  and  then  —  oh,  dear  !  — 
he  forged  his  father's  name,  and  the  farm  had 
to  be  mortgaged  to  get  him  out  of  prison ;  and 
then  he  took  to  drinking,  and  went  from  bad 
to  worse,  and  finally  died  in  misery  and  wretch- 
edness. Dear,  dear !  it  almost  broke  Jacob's 
heart,  that  it  did.  He  had  tried,  if  ever  man 
tried,  to  save  his  brother ;  but  't  was  of  no  use. 
It  seemed  as  if  he  was  bound  to  ruin  himself, 
and  nothing  could  stop  him.  When  he  died, 
his  wife  (he  married  her,  thinking  she  had 
money,  and  it  turned  out  she  had  n't  a  penny) 
took  the  child  and  went  back  to  her  own  peo- 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  233 

pie,  and  we  heard  nothing  more  till  about  two 
years  ago,  when  this  boy  came  to  Jacob  with 
a  letter  from  his  mother's  folks.  She  was  dead, 
and  they  said  they  could  n't  do  for  him  any 
longer,  and  he  did  n't  seem  inclined  to  do  for 
himself.  Well,  that  is  the  story,  Hilda  dear. 
He  has  been  here  ever  since,  and  he  has  been 
no  comfort,  no  pleasure  to  us,  I  must  say ;  but 
we  have  tried  to  do  our  duty  by  him,  and  I 
hoped  he  might  feel  in  his  heart  some  grati- 
tude to  his  uncle,  though  he  showed  none  in 
his  actions.  And  now  to  think  of  it !  to  think 
of  it !  How  shall  I  tell  my  poor  man  ?  " 

"  What  was  his  mother  like  I  "  asked  Hil de- 
garde,  trying  to  turn  for  the  moment  the  cur- 
rent of  painful  thought. 

Nurse  Lucy  gave  a  little  laugh,  even  while 
wiping  the  tears  from  her  eyes.  "  Poor  Eliza  !  " 
she  said.  "She  was  a  good  woman,  but  — 
well,  there !  she  had  no  faculty,  as  you  may 
say.  And  homely !  you  never  saw  such  a 
homely  woman,  Hilda ;  for  I  don't  believe 


234  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

there  could  be  two  in  the  world.  I  never 
think  of  Eliza  without  remembering  what 
Jacob  said  after  he  saw  her  for  the  first  time. 
He  'd  been  over  to  see  Simon ;  and  when  he 
came  back  he  walked  into  the  kitchen  and  sat 
down,  never  saying  a  word,  but  just  shaking 
his  head  over  and  over  again.  '  What 's  the 
matter,  Jacob?'  I  said.  ' Matter!'  said  he. 
'  Matter  enough,  Marm  Lucy '  (he 's  always 
called  me  Marm  Lucy,  my  dear,  since  the 
very  day  we  were  married,  though  I  wasn't 
very  much  older  than  you  then).  i  Simon 's 
married/  he  said,  l  and  I  've  seen  his  wife.'  Of 
course  I  was  surprised,  and  I  wanted  to  knovs 
all  about  it.  '  What  sort  of  a  girl  is  she  I '  1 
asked.  i  Is  she  pretty  ?  What  color  is  hei 
hair  I '  But  Jacob  put  up  his  hand  and  stopped 
me.  '  Thar ! '  he  says,  '  don't  ask  no  ques- 
tions, and  I'll  tell  ye.  Fust  place,  she  ain't 
no  gal,  no  more  'n  yer  Aunt  Saleny  is  ! '  (that 
was  a  maiden  aunt  of  mine,  dear,  and  well 
over  forty  at  that  time.)  '  And  what  does  she 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  231 

look  like  ?  '  l  Wai !  D'  ye  ever  see  an  old  cedai 
fence-rail,  —  one  that  had  been  chumped  out 
with  a  blunt  axe,  and  had  laid  out  in  the  sun 
and  the  wind  and  the  snow  and  the  rain  till 
'twas  warped  this  way,  and  shrunk  that  way, 
and  twisted  every  way  ?  Wai !  Simon's  wife 
looks  as  if  she  had  swallowed  one  o'  them 
fence-rails,  and  shrunk  to  it ! '  Dear,  dear ! 
how  I  laughed.  And  't  was  true,  my  dear !  It 
was  just  the  way  she  did  look.  Poor  soul ! 
she  led  a  sad  life ;  for  when  Simon  found  he  'd 
made  a  mistake  about  the  money,  there  was  no 
word  too  bad  for  him  to  fling  at  herr 

At  this  moment  Farmer  Hartley's  step  was 
heard  in  the  porch,  and  Nurse  Lucy  rose  hur- 
riedly. "  Don't  say  anything  to  him,  Hilda 
dear/'  she  whispered,  — "  anything  about  Simon, 
I  mean.  I'll  tell  him  to-morrow;  but  I  don't 
want  to  trouble  him  to-night.  This  is  our  Faith's 
birthday, — seventeen  year  old  she'd  have  been 
to-day ;  and  it 's  been  a  right  hard  day  for 
Jacob  !  I  '11  tell  him  about  it  in  the  morning." 


236  QUEEN  HILDEGAKDE. 

Alas!  when  morning  came  it  was  too  late. 
The  kitchen  door  was  swinging  idly  open ;  the 
desk  was  broken  open  and  rifled ;  and  Simon 
Hartley  was  gone,  and  with  him  the  savings  of 
ten  years'  patient  labor. 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  237 


CHAPTER  XII. 

THE    OLD    MILL. 

IT  was  a  sad  group  that  sat  in  tile  pleasant 
kitchen  that  bright  September  morning.  The 
good  farmer  sat  before  his  empty  desk,  seem- 
ing half  stupefied  by  the  blow  which  had  fallen 
so  suddenly  upon  him,  while  his  wife  hung 
about  him,  reproaching  herself  bitterly  for  not 
having  put  him  on  his  guard  the  night  before. 
Hildegarde  moved  restlessly  about  the  kitchen, 
setting  things  to  rights,  as  she  thought,  though 
in  reality  she  hardly  knew  what  she  was  doing, 
and  had  already  carefully  deposited  the  teapot 
in  the  coal-hod,  and  laid  the  broom  on  the  top 
shelf  of  the  dresser.  Her  heart  was  full  of 
wrath  and  sorrow,  —  fierce  anger  against  the 
miserable  wretch  who  had  robbed  his  benefac- 

15 


238  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

tor ;  sympathy  for  her  kind  friends,  brought 
thus  suddenly  from  comfort  to  distress.  For 
she  knew  now  that  the  money  which  Simon 
had  stolen  had  been  drawn  from  the  bank 
only  two  days  before  to  pay  off  the  mortgage 
on  the  farm. 

"I  should  n't  ha7  minded  the  money/'  Farmer 
Hartley  was  saying,  even  now,  "  if  I  'd  ha'  been 
savin7  it  jest  to  spend  or  lay  by.  I  should  n't 
ha'  minded,  though  't  would  ha'  hurt  jest  the 
same  to  hev  Simon's  son  take  it,  —  my  brother 
Simon's  son,  as  I  allus  stood  by.  But  it's 
hard  to  let  the  farm  go.  I  tell  ye,  Marm  Lucy, 
it 's  terrible  hard ! "  and  he  bowed  his  head 
upon  his  hands  in  a  dejection  which  made  his 
wife  weep  anew  and  wring  her  hands. 

"  But  they  will  not  take  the  farm  from  you, 
Farmer  Hartley ! "  cried  Hilda,  aghast.  "  They 
cannot  do  that,  can  they  ?  Why,  it  was  your 
father's,  and  your  grandfather's  before  him." 

"  And  Ms  father's  afore  him  !  "  said  the  farmer, 
looking  up  with  a  sad  smile  on  his  kindly  face. 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  239 

"  But  that  don't  make  no  difference,  ye  see, 
Hildy.  Lawyer  Clinch  is  a  hard  man,  a  ter- 
rible hard  man ;  and  he 's  always  wanted  this 
farm.  It's  the  best  piece  o'  land  in  the  hull 
township,  an'  he  wants  it  for  a  market  farm." 

"But  why  did  you  mortgage  it  to  him?" 
cried  Hilda. 

"I  didn't,  my  gal;  I  didn't!"  said  the 
farmer,  sadly.  "  He  'd  kep'  watch  over  it  ever 
sence  Simon  began  to  get  into  trouble,  —  reckon 
he  knew  pooty  well  how  things  would  come 
out ;  an'  bimeby  Jason  Doble,  as  held  the  mort- 
gage, he  up  an'  died,  an'  then  Lawyer  Clinch 
stepped  in  an'  told  the  'xecutors  how  Jason 
owed  him  a  big  debt,  but  he  didn't  want  to 
do  nothin'  onfriendly,  so  he  'd  take  the  mort- 
gage on  Hartley's  Glen  and  call  it  square. 
Th'  executors  was  kind  o'  fool  people,  both  on 
'em  —  I  d'no'  what  possessed  Jason  Doble  to 
choose  them  for  'xecutors,  when  he  might  ha' 
hed  the  pick  o'  the  State  lunatic  asylum  an' 
got  some  fcols  as  knew  something;  but  so 


240  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

7t  was,  an'  I  s'pose  so  't  was  meant  to  be.  They 
giv'  it  to  him,  an7  thanked  him  for  takiii'  it; 
and  he 's  waited  an7  waited,  hopin'  to  ketch  me 
in  a  tight  place,  —  an'  now  he 's  done  it.  An' 
that 's  about  all  there  is  to  it !  "  added  Farmer 
Hartley,  rising  and  pushing  back  his  massive 
gray  hair.  "An'  I  sha'n't  mend  it  by  sittin' 
an'  mowlin'  over  it.  Thar 's  all  Simon's  work 
to  be  done,  an'  my  own  too.  Huldy,  my  gal !  " 
he  held  out  his  honest  brown  hand  to  Hilde- 
garde,  who  clasped  it  affectionately  in  both  of 
hers,  "ye '11  stay  by  Marm  Lucy  and  chirk 
her  up  a  bit.  'T  '11  be  a  hard  day  for  her,  an' 
she  has  n't  no  gal  of  her  own  now  to  do  for 
her.  But  ye  've  grown  to  be  almost  a  daughter 
to  us,  Huldy.  God  bless  ye,  child  !  " 

His  voice  faltered  as  he  laid  his  other  hand 
for  a  moment  on  the  girl's  fair  head;  then, 
turning  hastily  away,  he  took  up  his  battered 
straw  hat  and  went  slowly  out  of  the  house, 
an  older  man,  it  might  have  been  by  ten  years, 
than  he  had  been  the  night  before. 


QUEEN   HILDEGAKDE.  241 

Right  daughterly  did  Hilda  show  herself 
that  day,  and  Faith  herself  could  hardly  have 
been  more  tender  and  helpful.  Feeling  in- 
tuitively that  work  was  the  best  bairn  for  a 
sore  heart,  she  begged  for  Nurse  Lucy's  help 
and  advice  in  one  and  another  item  of  house- 
hold routine.  Then  she  bethought  her  of  the 
churning,  and  felt  that  if  this  thing  was  to 
befall,  it  could  not  have  better  befallen  than 
on  a  Tuesday,  when  the  great  blue  churn  stood 
ready  in  the  dairy,  and  the  cream  lay  thick 
and  yellow  in  the  shining  pans. 

"Well,  that's  a  fact!"  sighed  Nurse  Lucy. 
"  If  I  hadn't  forgotten  my  butter  in  all  this 
trouble !  And  it  must  be  made,  sorrow  or 
smiles,  as  the  old  saying  is.  Come  with  me, 
Hilda  dear,  if  you  will.  Your  face  is  the  only 
bright  thing  I  can  see  this  sad  day." 

So  they  went  together  into  the  cool  dairy, 
where  the  light  came  in  dimly  through  the 
screen  of  clematis  that  covered  the  window; 
and  Hilda  bared  her  round  white  arms,  and 


242  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

Nurse  Lucy  pinned  back  her  calico  sleeves 
from  a  pair  that  were  still  shapely,  though 
brown,  and  each  took  a  skimmer  and  set  ear- 
nestly to  work.  The  process  of  skimming 
cream  is  in  itself  a  soothing,  not  to  say  an  ab- 
sorbing one.  To  push  the  thick,  yellow  ripples, 
piling  themselves  upon  the  skimmer,  across 
the  pan ;  to  see  it  drop,  like  melted  ivory, 
into  the  cream-bowl ;  to  pursue  floating  cream 
islands  round  and  round  the  pale  and  mimic 
sea,  —  who  can  do  this  long,  and  not  be  com- 
forted in  some  small  degree,  even  in  the  midst 
of  heavy  sorrow?  Also  there  is  joy  and  a 
never-failing  sense  of  achievement  when  the 
butter  first  splashes  in  the  churn.  So  Nurse 
Lucy  took  heart,  and  churned  and  pressed  and 
moulded  her  butter;  and  though  some  tears 
fell  into  it,  it  was  none  the  worse  for  that. 

But  as  she  stamped  each  ball  with  the  famil- 
iar stamp,  showing  an  impossible  cow  with 
four  lame  legs — "  How  many  more  times," 
said  the  good  woman,  "  shall  I  use  this  stamp  ; 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  243 

and  what  kind  of  butter  will  they  make  who 
come  after  me  ? "  and  her  tears  flowed  again. 
"  Lawyer  Clinch  keeps  a  hired  girl,  and  I 
never  saw  real  good  butter  made  by  a  hired 
girl.  They  haven't  the  feeling  for  it;  and 
there  's  feeling  in  butter-making  as  much  as 
in  anything  else." 

But  here  Hilda  interposed,  and  gently  hinted 
that  there  ought  now  to  be  " feeling"  about 
getting  the  farmer's  dinner.  "We  must  have 
the  things  he  likes  best,"  she  said ;  "  for  it  will 
be  hard  enough  to  make  him  eat  anything.  I 
will  make  that  apple -pudding  that  he  likes  so 
much;  and  there  is  the  fowl  for  the  pie,  you 
know,  Nurse  Lucy." 

The  little  maid  was  away  on  a  vacation,  so 
there  was  plenty  of  work  to  be  done.  Dinner- 
time came  and  went;  and  it  was  not  till  she 
had  seen  Dame  Hartley  safe  established  on 
her  bed  (for  tears  and  trouble  had  brought  on 
a  sick  headache),  and  tucked  her  up  under  the 
red  quilt,  with  a  bottle  of  hot  water  at  her 


244  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

feet  and  a  bowl  of  cracked  ice  by  her  side,  — 
it  was  not  till  she  had  done  this,  and  sung-  one 
or  two  of  the  soothing  songs  that  the  good 
woman  loved,  that  Hilda  had  a  moment  to 
herself.  She  ran  out  to  say  a  parting  word 
to  the  farmer,  who  was  just  starting  for  the 
village  in  the  forlorn  hope,  which  in  his  heart 
he  knew  to  be  vain,  of  getting  an  extension  of 
time  from  Lawyer  Clinch  while  search  was 
being  made  for  the  wretched  Simon. 

When  old  Nancy  had  trotted  away  down  the 
lane,  Hilda  went  back  and  sat  down  in  the 
porch,  very  tired  and  sad  at  heart.  It  seemed 
so  hard,  so  hard  that  she  could  do  nothing  to 
save  her  friends  from  the  threatening  ruin. 
She  thought  of  her  father,  with  a  momentary 
flash  of  hope  that  made  her  spring  from  her 
seat  with  a  half  articulate  cry  of  joy  ;  but  the 
hope  faded  as  she  remembered  that  he  had 
probably  just  started  for  the  Yosemite  Valley, 
and  that  there  was  no  knowing  when  or  where 
a  despatch  would  reach  him.  She  sighed,  and 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  245 

sank  back  on  the  bench  with  a  hopeless  feel- 
ing. Presently  she  bethought  her  of  her  little 
dog,  whom  she  had  not  seen  all  day.  Jock 
had  grown  very  dear  to  her  heart,  and  was 
usually  her  inseparable  companion,  except 
when  she  was  busy  with  household  tasks,  to 
which  he  had  an  extreme  aversion.  A  mis- 
tress, in  Jock's  opinion,  was  a  person  who  fed 
one,  and  took  one  to  walk,  and  patted  one, 
and  who  was  in  return  to  be  loved  desperately, 
and  obeyed  in  reason.  But  sweeping,  and 
knocking  brooms  against  one's  legs,  and  pay- 
ing no  attention  to  one's  invitations  to  play 
or  go  for  a  walk,  were  manifest  derelictions 
from  a  mistress's  duty ;  accordingly,  when 
Hilda  was  occupied  in  the  house,  Jock  always 
sat  in  the  back  porch,  with  his  back  turned 
to  the  kitchen  door,  and  his  tail  cocked  very 
high,  while  one  ear  listened  eagerly  for  the 
sound  of  Hilda's  footsteps,  and  the  other  was 
thrown  negligently  forward,  to  convey  the  im- 
pression that  he  did  not  really  care,  but  only 


246  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

waited  to  oblige  her.  And  the  moment  the 
door  opened,  and  she  appeared  with  her  hat 
on,  oh,  the  rapture  !  the  shrieks  and  squeaks 
and  leaps  of  joy,  the  wrigglings  of  body  and 
frantic  waggings  of  tail  that  ensued ! 

So  this  morning,  what  with  all  the  trouble, 
and  with  her  knowledge  of  his  views,  Hilde- 
garde  had  not  thought  to  wonder  where  Jock 
was.  But  now  it  struck  her  that  she  had  ex- 
changed no  greeting  with  him  since  last  night ; 
that  she  had  heard  no  little  impatient  barks, 
no  napping  of  tail  against  the  door  by  way  of 
reminder.  Where  could  the  little  fellow  be? 
She  walked  round  the  house,  calling  and  whist- 
ling softly.  She  visited  the  barn  and  the 
cow-shed  and  all  the  haunts  where  her  favor- 
ite was  wont  to  linger ;  but  no  Jock  was  to  be 
seen.  "  Perhaps  he  has  gone  over  to  see  Will," 
she  thought,  with  a  feeling  of  relief.  Indeed, 
this  was  very  possible,  as  the  two  dogs  were 
very  brotherly,  and  frequently  exchanged  visits, 
sometimes  acting  as  letter-carriers  for  their 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  247 

two  mistresses,  Pink  and  Hilda.  If  Jock  was 
at  Pink's  house,  he  would  be  well  cared  for, 
and  Bubble  would  —  but  here  Hildegarde 
started,  as  a  new  perplexity  arose.  Where 
was  Bubble  ?  They  had  actually  forgotten 
the  boy  in  the  confusion  and  trouble  of  the 
day.  He  had  not  certainly  come  to  the  house, 
as  he  invariably  did ;  and  the  farmer  had  not 
spoken  of  him  when  he  came  in  at  noon. 
Perhaps  Pink  was  ill,  Hilda  thought,  with 
fresh  alarm.  If  it  should  be  so,  Bubble  could 
not  leave  her,  for  Mrs.  Chirk  was  nursing  a 
sick  woman  two  or  three  miles  away,  and  there 
were  no  other  neighbors  nearer  than  the  farm. 
"  Oh,  my  Pink  !  "  cried  Hilda  ;  "  and  I  cannot 
go  to  you  at  once,  for  Nurse  Lucy  must  not 
be  left  alone  in  her  trouble.  I  must  wait, 
wait  patiently  till  Farmer  Hartley  comes 
back." 

Patiently  she  tried  to  wait.  She  stole  up  to 
her  room,  and  taking  up  one  of  her  best-beloved 
books,  "  The  Household  of  Sir  Thomas  More," 


248  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

lost  herself  for  a  while  in  the  noble  sorrows  of 
Margaret  Roper.  But  even  this  could  not  hold 
her  long  in  her  restless  frame  of  mind,  so  she 
went  downstairs  again,  and  out  into  the  soft, 
golden  September  air,  and  fell  to  pacing  up  and 
down  the  gravel  walk  before  the  house  like  a 
slender,  white-robed  sentinel.  Presently  there 
was  a  rustling  in  the  bushes,  then  a  hasty, 
joyful  bark,  and  a  little  dog  sprang  forward 
and  greeted  Hildegarde  with  every  demon- 
stration of  affection.  "Jock!  my  own  dear 
little  Jock !  "  she  cried,  stooping  down  to  caress 
her  favorite.  But  as  she  did  so  she  saw  that  it 
was  not  Jock,  but  Will,  Pink's  dog,  which  was 
bounding  and  leaping  about  her.  Much  puz- 
zled, she  nevertheless  patted  the  little  fellow 
and  shook  paws  with  him,  and  told  him  she 
was  glad  to  see  him.  "  But  where  is  your 
brother  1 "  she  cried.  "  Oh  !  Willy  dog,  where 
is  Jock,  and  where  is  Bubble  ?  Bubble,  Will ! 
speak  !  "  Will  "  spoke  "  as  well  as  he  could, 
giving  a  short  bark  at  each  repetition  of  the 


QUEEN  HILDE6ARDE.  249 

well-known  name.  Then  he  jumped  up  on 
Hilda,  and  threw  back  his  head  with  a  peculiar 
action  which  at  once  attracted  her  attention. 
She  took  him  up  in  her  arms,  and  lo  !  there 
was  a  piece  of  paper,  folded  and  pinned  securely 
to  his  collar.  Hastily  setting  the  dog  down, 
she  opened  the  note  and  read  as  follows  :  — 

Miss  HILDY, 

Simon  Hartley  he  come  here  early  this 
mornin  and  he  says  to  me  I  was  diggin  potaters 
for  dinner  and  he  come  and  leaned  on  the  fence  and 
says  he  I  've  fixed  your  city  gal  up  fine  he  says  and  I 
says  what  yer  mean  I  mean  what  I  says  he  says  I  've 
fixed  her  up  fine.  She  thinks  a  heap  of  that  dorg  I 
know  that  ain't  spelled  right  but  it 's  the  way  he  said 
it  don't  she  says  he  I  reckon  says  I  Well  says  he  you 
tell  her  to  look  for  him  in  the  pit  of  the  old  mill  says 
he.  And  then  he  larf  LAUGHED  I  was  bound  I  'd 
get  it  Miss  Hildy  I  don't  see  why  they  spell  a  thing  g 
and  say  it  f  and  went  away.  And  I  run  after  him  to 
make  him  tell  me  what  he  d  been  up  to  and  climbin 
over  the  wall  I  ketched  my  foot  on  a  stone  and  the 
stone  come  down  on  my  foot  and  me  with  it  and  I 
did  n't  know  anythin  g  till  Simon  had  gone  and  my 
foot  swoll  up  so  s  I  could  n't  walk  and  I  would  nt  a 


250  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

minded  its  hurtin  Miss  Hildy  but  it  s  like  there 
wornt  no  bones  in  it  Pink  says  I  sprante  it  bad  and 
I  started  to  go  over  to  the  Farm  on  all  fours  to  tell  ye 
but  I  did  n't  know  anythin  g  agin  and  Pink  made  me 
come  back.  We  could  nt  nether  on  us  get  hold  of 
Will  but  now  we  got  him  I  hope  he  1  go  stra^teg  Miss 
Hildy  Pink  wanted  to  write  this  for  me  but  I  druther 
write  myself  you  aint  punk  tuated  it  she  says.  She 
can  punk  tuate  it  herself  better  n  I  can  I  an  ti  cip  ate 
I  says.  From 

ZERUBBABEL  CHIRK 

P.  S.  I  wisht  I  could  get  him  out  for  ye  Miss 
Hildy. 

If  Bubble's  letter  was  funny,  Hilda  had  no 
heart  to  see  the  fun.  Her  tears  flowed  fast  as 
she  realized  the  fate  of  her  pretty  little  pet  and 
playfellow.  The  vindictive  wretch,  too  cow- 
ardly to  face  her  again,  had  taken  his  revenge 
upon  the  harmless  little  dog.  All  day  long 
poor  Jock  had  been  in  that  fearful  place  !  He 
was  still  only  a  puppy,  and  she  knew  he  could 
not  possibly  get  out  if  he  had  really  been 
thrown  into  the  pit  of  the  great  wheel.  But 
—  and  she  gave  a  cry  of  pain  as  the  thought 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  251 

struck  her  —  perhaps  it  was  only  his  lifeless 
body  that  was  lying  there.  Perhaps  the  ruffian 
had  killed  him,  and  thrown  him  down  there 
afterwards.  She  started  up  and  paced  the  walk 
hurriedly,  trying  to  think  what  she  had  best 
do.  Her  first  impulse  was  to  fly  at  once 
to  the  glen ;  but  that  was  impossible,  as  she 
must  not,  she  felt,  leave  Dame  Hartley.  No 
one  was  near ;  they  were  quite  alone.  Again 
she  said,  "  I  must  wait ;  I  must  wait  till  Farmer 
Hartley  comes  home."  But  the  waiting  was 
harder  now  than  it  had  been  before.  She 
could  do  nothing  but  pace  up  and  down,  up 
and  down,  like  a  caged  panther,  stopping  every 
few  minutes  to  throw  back  her  head  and  listen 
for  the  longed-for  sound,  —  the  sound  of  ap- 
proaching wheels. 

Softly  the  shadows  fell  as  the  sun  went  down. 
The  purple  twilight  deepened,  and  the  stars 
lighted  their  silver  lamps,  while  all  the  soft 
night  noises  began  to  make  themselves  heard 
as  the  voices  of  day  died  away.  But  Hilda 


252  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

had  ears  for  only  one  sound.  At  length,  out 
of  the  silence  (or  was  it  out  of  her  own  fancy  ?) 
she  seemed  to  hear  a  faint,  clicking  noise.  She 
listened  intently :  yes,  there  it  was  again.  There 
was  no  mistaking  the  click  of  old  Nancy's  hoofs, 
and  with  it  was  a  dim  suggestion  of  a  rattle,  a 
jingle.  Yes,  beyond  a  doubt,  the  farmer  was 
coming.  Hildegarde  flew  into  the  house,  and 
met  Dame  Hartley  just  coming  down  the  stairs. 
"  The  farmer  is  coming,"  she  said,  hastily ; 
"  he  is  almost  here.  I  am  going  to  find  Jock. 
I  shall  be  back  —  "  and  she  was  gone  before  the 
astonished  Dame  could  ask  her  a  question. 

Through  the  kitchen  and  out  of  the  back 
porch  sped  the  girl,  only  stopping  to  catch  up 
a  small  lantern  which  hung  on  a  nail,  and  to 
put  some  matches  in  her  pocket.  Little  Will 
followed  her,  barking  hopefully,  and  together 
the  two  ran  swiftly  through  the  barn-yard  and 
past  the  cow-shed,  and  took  the  path  which  led 
to  the  old  mill.  The  way  was  so  familiar  now 
to  Hilda  that  she  could  have  traversed  it  blind- 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  253 

fold  ;  and  this  was  well  for  her,  for  in  the  dense 
shade  of  the  beech-plantation  it  was  now  pitch 
dark.  The  feathery  branches  brushed  her  face 
and  caught  the  tendrils  of  her  hair  with  their 
slender  fingers.  There  was  something  ghostly 
in  their  touch.  Hilda  was  not  generally  timid, 
but  her  nerves  had  been  strung  to  a  high  pitch 
all  day,  and  she  had  no  longer  full  control  of 
them.  She  shivered,  and  bending  her  head 
low,  called  to  the  dog  and  hurried  on. 

Out  from  among  the  trees  now,  into  the  dim 
starlit  glade  ;  down  the  pine-strewn  path,  with 
the  noise  of  falling  water  from  out  the  beech- 
wood  at  the  right,  and  the  ruined  mill  looming 
black  before  her.  Now  came  the  three  broken 
steps.  Yes,  so  far  she  had  no  need  of  the  lan- 
tern. Round  the  corner,  stepping  carefully  over 
the  half-buried  mill-stone.  Groping  her  way, 
her  hand  touched  the  stone  wall ;  but  she  drew 
it  back  hastily,  so  damp  and  cold  the  stones 
were.  Darker  and  darker  here ;  she  must  light 
the  lantern  before  she  ventured  down  the  long 

16 


254  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

flight  of  steps.  The  match  spurted,  and  now 
the  tiny  yellow  flame  sprang  up  and  shed  a 
faint  light  on  the  immediate  space  around  her. 
It  only  made  the  outer  darkness  seem  more 
intense.  But  no  matter,  she  could  see  two 
steps  in  front  of  her ;  and  holding  the  lantern 
steadily  before  her,  she  stepped  carefully  down 
and  down,  until  she  stood  on  the  firm  green- 
sward of  the  glen.  Ah  !  how  different  every- 
thing was  now  from  its  usual  aspect.  The 
green  and  gold  were  turned  into  black  upon 
black.  The  laughing,  dimpling,  sun -kissed 
water  was  now  a  black,  gloomy  pool,  be- 
yond which  the  'fall  shimmered  white  like  a 
water-spirit  (Undine,  —  or  was  it  Klihleborn, 
the  malignant  and  vengeful  sprite  ?).  The  firs 
stood  tall  and  gaunt,  closing  like  a  spectral 
guard  about  the  ruined  mill,  and  pointing  their 
long,  dark  fingers  in  silent  menace  at  the  in- 
truder upon  their  evening  repose.  Hildegarde 
shivered  again,  and  held  her  lantern  tighter,  re- 
membering how  Bubble  had  said  that  the  glen 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  255 

was  "  a  tormenthY  spooky  place  after  dark." 
She  looked  fearfully  about  her  as  a  low  wind 
rustled  the  branches.  They  bent  towards  her 
as  if  to  clutch  her ;  an  angry  whisper  seemed 
to  pass  from  one  to  the  other ;  and  an  utterly 
unreasoning  terror  fell  upon  the  girl.  She 
stood  for  a  moment  as  if  paralyzed  with  fear, 
when  suddenly  the  little  dog  gave  a  sharp  yelp, 
and  leaped  up  on  her  impatiently.  The  sound 
startled  her  into  new  terror ;  but  in  a  moment 
the  revulsion  came,  and  she  almost  laughed 
aloud.  Here  was  she,  a  great  girl,  almost  a 
woman,  cowering  and  shivering,  while  a  tiny 
puppy,  who  had  hardly  any  brains  at  all,  was 
eager  to  go  on.  She  patted  the  dog,  and  "  tak- 
ing herself  by  both  ears,"  as  she  expressed  it 
afterwards,  walked  steadily  forward,  pushed 
aside  the  dense  tangle  of  vines  and  bushes,  and 
stooped  down  to  enter  the  black  hole  which  led 
into  the  vault  of  the  mill. 

A  rush  of  cold  air  met  her,  and  beat  against 
her  face  like  a  black  wing  that  brushed  it.     It 


256  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

had  a  mouldy  smell.  Holding  up  the  lantern, 
Hildegarde  crept  as  best  she  could  through  the 
narrow  opening.  A  gruesome  place  it  was  in 
which  she  found  herself.  Grim  enough  by 
daylight,  it  was  now  doubly  so  ;  for  the  black- 
ness seemed  like  something  tangible,  some 
shapeless  monster  which  was  gathering  itself 
together,  and  shrinking  back,  inch  by  inch, 
as  the  little  spark  of  light  moved  forward. 
The  gaunt  beams,  the  jagged  bits  of  iron, 
bent  and  twisted  into  fantastic  shapes,  stretched 
and  thrust  themselves  from  every  side,  and 
again  the  girl  fancied  them  fleshless  arms 
reaching  out  to  clutch  her.  But  hark  !  was 
that  a  sound,  —  a  faint  sound  from  the  farthest 
and  darkest  corner,  wrhere  the  great  wheel 
raised  its  toothed  and  broken  round  from  the 
dismal  pit? 

"Jock!  my  little  Jock!"  cried  Hildegarde, 
"are  you  there?" 

A  feeble  sound,  the  very  ghost  of  a  tiny 
bark,  answered  her,  and  a  faint  scratching  was 


QUEEN   IIILDEGARDE.  257 

heard.  In  an  instant  all  fear  left  Hilda,  and 
she  sprang  forward,  holding  the  lantern  high 
above  her  head,  and  calling  out  words  of  en- 
couragement and  cheer.  "  Courage,  Jock ! 
Cheer  up,  little  man !  Missis  is  here ;  Missis 
will  save  you !  Speak  to  him,  Will !  tell 
him  you  are  here." 

"  Wow  !  "  said  Will,  manfully,  scuttling  about 
in  the  darkness.  "  Wa-ow  !  "  replied  a  pitiful 
squeak  from  the  depths  of  the  wheel-pit.  Hilda 
reached  the  edge  of  the  pit  and  looked  down. 
In  one  corner  was  a  little  white  bundle,  which 
moved  feebly,  and  wagged  a  piteous  tail,  and 
squeaked  with  faint  rapture.  Evidently  the 
little  creature  was  exhausted,  perhaps  badly 
injured.  How  should  she  reach  him  1  She 
threw  the  ray  of  light  —  oh  !  how  dim  it  was, 
and  how  heavy  and  close  the  darkness  pressed ! 
—  on  the  side  of  the  pit,  and  saw  that  it  was  a 
rough  and  jagged  wall,  with  stones  projecting 
at  intervals.  A  moment's  survey  satisfied  her. 
Setting  the  lantern  carefully  at  a  little  distance, 


258  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

and  bidding  Will  "  charge ' '  and  be  still,  she 
began  the  descent,  feeling  the  way  carefully 
with  her  feet,  and  grasping  the  rough  stones 
firmly  with  her  hands.  Down  !  down  !  while 
the  huge  wheel  towered  over  her,  and  grinned 
with  all  its  rusty  teeth  to  see  so  strange  a  sight. 
At  last  her  feet  touched  the  soft  earth  ;  another 
instant,  and  she  had  Jock  in  her  arms,  and 
was  fondling  and  caressing  him,  and  saying 
all  sorts  of  foolish  things  to  him  in  her  delight. 
But  a  cry  of  pain  from  the  poor  puppy,  even 
in  the  midst  of  his  frantic  though  feeble  de- 
monstrations of  joy,  told  her  that  all  was  not 
right ;  and  she  found  that  one  little  leg  hung 
limp,  and  was  evidently  broken.  How  should 
she  ever  get  him  up  ?  For  a  moment  she 
stood  bewildered ;  and  then  an  idea  came  to 
her,  which  she  has  always  maintained  was  the 
only  really  clever  one  she  ever  had.  In  her 
pre-occupation  of  mind  she  had  forgotten  all 
day  to  take  off  the  brown  holland  apron  which 
she  had  worn  at  her  work  in  the  morning,  and 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  259 

it  was  the  touch  of  this  apron  which  brought 
her  inspiration.  Quick  as  a  flash  she  had  it 
off,  and  tied  round  her  neck,  pinned  up  at 
both  ends  to  form  a  bag.  Then  she  stooped 
again  to  pick  up  Jock,  whom  she  had  laid 
carefully  down  while  she  arranged  the  apron. 
As  she  did  so,  the  feeble  ray  from  the  lantern 
fell  on  a  space  w^here  the  ground  had  been 
scratched  up,  evidently  by  the  puppy's  paws ; 
and  in  that  space  something  shone  with  a  dull 
glitter.  Hildegarde  bent  lower,  and  found 
what  seemed  to  be  a  small  brass  handle,  half 
covered  with  earth.  She  dug  the  earth  away 
with  her  hands,  and  pulled  and  tugged  at  the 
handle  for  some  time  without  success ;  but  at 
length  the  sullen  soil  yielded,  and  she  staggered 
back  against  the  wheel  with  a  small  metal 
box  in  her  hands.  No  time  now  to  examine 
the  prize,  be  it  what  it  might.  Into  the  apron 
bag  it  went,  and  on  top  of  it  went  the  puppy, 
yelping  dismally.  Then  slowly,  carefully, 
clinging  with  hands  and  feet  for  life  and 


260  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

limb,  Hilda  reascended  the  wall.  Oh,  but 
it  was  hard  work  !  Her  hands  were  already 
very  sore,  and  the  heavy  bundle  hung  back 
from  her  neck  and  half  choked  her.  Moreover 
the  puppy  was  uncomfortable,  and  yelped  pit- 
eously,  and  struggled  in  his  bonds,  while  the 
sharp  corner  of  the  iron  box  pressed  painfully 
against  the  back  of  her  neck.  The  jutting 
stones  were  far  apart,  and  several  times  it 
seemed  as  if  she  could  not  possibly  reach  the 
next  one.  But  the  royal  blood  was  fully  up. 
Queen  Hildegarde  set  her  teeth,  and  grasped 
the  stones  as  if  her  slender  hands  were  nerved 
with  steel.  At  last !  at  last  she  felt  the  edge ; 
and  the  next  moment  had  dragged  herself  pain- 
fully over  it,  and  stood  once  more  on  solid 
ground.  She  drew  a  long  breath,  and  hastily 
untying  the  apron  from  her  neck,  took  poor 
Jock  tenderly  in  one  arm,  while  with  the 
other  she  carried  the  lantern  and  the  iron 
box.  Will  was  jumping  frantically  about, 
and  trying  to  reach  his  brother  puppy,  who 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE,  261 

responded  with  squeaks  of  joy  to  his  enraptured 
greeting. 

"Down,  Will!"  said  Hilda,  decidedly. 
"  Down,  sir !  Lie  still,  Jocky !  we  shall  be 
at  home  soon  now.  Patience,  little  dog ! " 
And  Jock  tried  hard  to  be  patient ;  though  it 
was  not  pleasant  to  be  squeezed  into  a  ball 
while  his  mistress  crawled  out  of  the  hole, 
which  she  did  with  some  difficulty,  laden 
with  her  triple  burden. 

However,  they  were  out  at  last,  and  speed- 
ing back  towards  the  farm  as  fast  as  eager  feet 
could  carry  them.  Little  thought  had  Hilda 
now  of  spectral  trees  or  ghostly  gloom.  Joy- 
fully she  hurried  back,  up  the  long  steps,  along 
the  glade,  through  the  beach-plantation  ;  only 
laughing  now  when  the  feathery  fingers  brushed 
her  face,  and  hugging  Jock  so  tight  that  he 
squeaked  again.  Now  she  saw  the  lights 
twinkling  in  the  farm-house,  and  quickening 
her  pace,  she  fairly  ran  through  lane  and 
barnyard,  and  finally  burst  into  the  kitchen, 


262  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

breathless  and  exhausted,  but  radiant.  The 
farmer  and  his  wife,  who  were  sitting  with 
disturbed  and  anxious  looks,  rose  hastily  as 
she  entered. 

"  Oh,  Hilda,  dear ! "  cried  Dame  Hartley, 
"  we  have  been  terribly  frightened  about  you. 
Jacob  has  been  searching —  But,  good  gra- 
cious, child !  "  she  added,  breaking  off  hastily, 
"  where  have  you  been,  and  what  have  you 
been  doing  to  get  yourself  into  such  a  state  ?  " 

Well  might  the  good  woman  exclaim,  while 
the  farmer  gazed  in  silent  astonishment.  The 
girl's  dress  was  torn  and  draggled,  and  covered 
with  great  spots  and  splashes  of  black.  Her 
face  was  streaked  with  dirt,  her  fair  hair  hang- 
ing loose  upon  her  shoulders.  Could  this  be 
Hilda,  the  dainty,  the  spotless  ?  But  her  eyes 
shone  like  stars,  and  her  face,  though  very  pale, 
wore  a  look  of  triumphant  delight. 

"  I  have  found  him  !  "  she  said,  simply.  "  My 
little  Jock  !  Simon  threw  him  into  the  wheel-pit 
of  the  old  mill,  and  I  went  to  get  him  out.  His 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  263 

leg  is  broken,  but  I  know  you  can  set  it,  Nurse 
Lucy.  Don't  look  so  frightened,"  she  added, 
smiling,  seeing  that  the  farmer  and  his  wife 
were  fairly  pale  with  horror ;  "it  was  not  so 
very  bad,  after  all."  And  in  as  few  words  as 
might  be,  she  told  the  story  of  Bubble's  note 
and  of  her  strange  expedition. 

"My  child!  my  child!"  cried  Dame  Hart- 
ley, putting  her  arms  round  the  girl,  and  weep- 
ing as  she  did  so.  "  How  could  you  do  such  a 
fearful  thing  ?  Think,  if  your  foot  had  slipped 
you  might  be  lying  there  now  yourself,  in  that 
dreadful  place  ! "  and  she  shuddered,  putting 
back  the  tangle  of  fair  hair  with  trembling 
fingers. 

"  Ah,  but  you  see,  my  foot  didn't  slip,  Nurse 
Lucy  !  "  replied  Hilda,  gayly.  "  I  would  n't  let 
it  slip  !  And  here  I  am  safe  and  sound,  so  it 's 
really  absurd  for  you  to  be  frightened  now,  my 
dear !  " 

"Why  in  the  name  of  the  airthly  didn't  ye 
wait  till  I  kem  home,  and  let  me  go  down  for 


264  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

ye  ?  "  demanded  the  farmer,  who  was  secretly 
delighted  with  the  exploit,  though  he  tried  to 
look  very  grave. 

«  Oh  !  I  —  I  never  thought  of  it !  "  said  Hilde- 
garde.  "  My  only  thought  was  to  get  down 
there  as  quickly  as  possible.  So  I  waited  till 
I  heard  you  coming,  for  I  did  n't  want  to  leave 
Nurse  Lucy  alone  ;  and  then  —  I  went !  And 
I  will  not  be  scolded,"  she  added  quickly,  "for 
I  think  I  have  made  a  great  discovery."  She 
held  one  hand  behind  her  as  she  spoke,  and 
her  eyes  sparkled  as  she  fixed  them  on  the 
farmer.  "  Dear  Farmer  Hartley,"  she  said, 
"is  it  true,  as  Bubble  told  me,  that  your 
father  used  to  go  down  often  into  the  vault 
of  the  old  mill?" 

"Why,  yes,  he  did,  frequent !  "  said  the  far- 
mer, wondering.  "  'T  was  a  fancy  of  his,  poknV 
about  thar.  But  what  —  " 

"Wait  a  moment!"  cried  Hilda,  trembling 
with  excitement.  "Wait  a  moment !  Think  a 
little,  dear  Farmer  Hartley  !  Did  you  not  tell 


QUEEN   IIILDEGARDE.  265 

me  that  when  he  was  dying,  your  father  said 
something  about  digging  ?  Try  to  remember 
just  what  he  said  !  " 

The  farmer  ran  his  hand  through  his  shaggy 
locks  with  a  bewildered  look.  "What  on  airth 
are  ye  drivin'  at,  Hildy  ?  "  he  said.  "  Father  ! 
why,  he  did  n't  say  nothin'  at  the  last,  'cept 
about  them  crazy  di'monds  he  was  allus  jawin' 
about.  '  Di'monds ! '  says  he.  And  then  he 
says  '  Dig ! '  an'  fell  back  on  the  piller,  an' 
that  was  all." 

"  Yes  !  "  cried  Hilda.  u  And  you  never  did 
dig,  did  you  ?  But  now  somebody  has  been 
digging.  Little  Jock  began,  and  I  finished; 
and  we  have  found  —  we  have  found  —  "  She 
broke  off  suddenly,  and  drawing  her  hand  from 
behind  her  back,  held  up  the  iron  box.  "  Take 
it ! "  she  cried,  thrusting  it  into  the  astonished 
farmer's  hands,  and  falling  on  her  knees  beside 
his  chair.  "  Take  it  and  open  it !  I  think  — 
oh !  I  am  sure  —  that  you  will  not  lose  the 
farm  after  all.  Open  it  quickly,  please  ! " 


266  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

Now  much  agitated  in  spite  of  himself, 
Farmer  Hartley  bent  himself  to  the  task  of 
opening  the  box.  For  some  minutes  it  re- 
sisted stubbornly,  and  even  when  the  lock 
was  broken,  the  lid  clung  firmly,  and  the  rusted 
hinges  refused  to  perform  their  office.  But  at 
length  they  yielded,  and  slowly,  unwillingly, 
the  box  opened.  Hilda's  breath  came  short 
and  quick,  and  she  clasped  her  hands  uncon- 
sciously as  she  bent  forward  to  look  into  the 
mysterious  casket.  What  did  she  see  ? 

At  first  nothing  but  a  handkerchief,  —  a  yel- 
low silk  handkerchief,  of  curious  pattern,  care- 
fully folded  into  a  small  square  and  fitting 
nicely  inside  the  box.  That  was  all;  but 
Farmer  Hartley's  voice  trembled  as  he  said,  in 
a  husky  whisper,  "  Father's  hankcher  ! "  and 
it  was  with  a  shaking  hand  that  he  lifted  the 
folds  of  silk.  One  look  —  and  he  fell  back  in 
liis  chair,  while  Hildegarde  quietly  sat  down 
on  the  floor  and  cried.  For  the  diamonds  were 
there  !  Big  diamonds  and  little  diamonds,  — 


"  IT   WAS  WITH   A   SHAKING  HAND,"  ETC. 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  269 

some  rough  and  dull,  others  flashing  out  sparks 
of  light,  as  if  they  shone  the  brighter  for  their 
long  imprisonment ;  some  tinged  with  yellow 
or  blue,  some  with  the  clear  white  radiance 
which  is  seen  in  nothing  else  save  a  dewdrop 
when  the  morning  sun  first  strikes  upon  it. 
There  they  lay,  —  a  handful  of  stones,  a  little 
heap  of  shining  crystals ;  but  enough  to  payoff 
the  mortgage  on  Hartley's  Glen  and  leave  the 
farmer  a  rich  man  for  life. 

Dame  Hartley  was  the  first  to  rouse  herself 
from  the  silent  amaze  into  which  they  had 
fallen.  "  Well,  well !  "  she  said,  wiping  her 
eyes,  "  the  ways  of  Providence  are  mysteri- 
ous. To  think  of  it,  after  all  these  years  !  Why, 
Jacob !  Come,  my  dear,  come !  You  ain't 
crying,  now  that  the  Lord,  and  this  blessed 
child  under  Him,  has  taken  away  all  your 
trouble  ?  " 

But  the  farmer,  to  his  own  great  amazement, 
was  crying.  He  sobbed  quietly  once  or  twice, 
then  cleared  his  throat,  and  wiped  his  eyes 


270  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

with  the  old  silk  handkerchief.  "  Poor  oY 
father,"  he  said,  simply.  "  It  seems  kind  o' 
hard  that  nobody  ever  believed  him,  an'  we  let 
him  die  thinkin'  he  was  crazy.  That  takes 
holt  on  me  ;  it  does,  Marm  Lucy,  now  I  tell 
ye !  Seems  like 's  if  I  'd  been  punished  for  not 
havin'  faith,  and  now  I  git  the  reward  without 
havin'  deserved  it." 

"As  if  you  could  have  reward  enough!" 
cried  Hildegarde,  laying  her  hand  on  his  affec- 
tionately "  But,  oh  !  do  just  look  at  them,  dear 
Farmer  Hartley  !  Are  n't  they  beautiful  ?  But 
what  is  that  peeping  out  of  the  cotton-wool 
beneath?  It  is  something  red." 

Farmer  Hartley  felt  beneath  the  cotton 
which  lined  the  box,  and  drew  out  —  oh, 
wonderful  !  a  chain  of  rubies  !  Each  stone 
glowed  like  a  living  coal  as  he  held  it  up  in  the 
lamp-light.  Were  they  rubies,  or  were  they 
drops  of  blood  linked  together  by  a  thread  of 
gold! 

"  The    princess's    necklace ! "    cried    Hilda. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  271 

"  Oh,  beautiful !  beautiful !    And  I  knew  it  was 
true  !     I  knew  it  all  the  time." 

The  old  man  fixed  a  strange  look,  solemn 
and  tender,  on  the  girl  as  she  stood  at  his  side, 
radiant  and  glowing  with  happiness.  "  She 
said  — "  his  voice  trembled  as  he  spoke, 
"  that  furrin  woman  —  she  said  it  was  her 
heart's  blood  as  father  had  saved.  And  now 
it 's  still  blood,  Hildy,  my  gal,  our  heart's 
blood,  that  goes  out  to  you,  and  loves  and 
blesses  you  as  if  you  were  our  own  child  come 
back  from  the  dead."  And  drawing  her  to  him, 
he  clasped  the  ruby  chain  round  Hilda's  neck. 


17 


CHAPTER   XIII. 

THE   TREE-PARTY. 

ANOTHER  golden  day  !  But  the  days  would 
all  be  golden  now,  thought  Hildegarde.  "  Oh, 
how  different  it  is  from  yesterday  !  "  she  cried 
to  Nurse  Lucy  as  she  danced  about  the  kitchen. 
"  The  sun  shone  yesterday,  but  it  did  us  no 
good.  To-day  it  warms  my  heart,  the  good 
sunshine.  And  yesterday  the  trees  seemed  to 
mock  me,  with  all  their  scarlet  and  gold ;  but 
to-day  they  are  dressed  up  to  celebrate  our 
good  fortune.  Let  us  call  them  in  to  rejoice 
with  us,  Nurse  Lucy.  Let  us  have  a  tree- 
party,  instead  of  a  tea-party  ! " 

"  My  dear,"  said  Dame  Hartley,  looking  up 
with  a  puzzled  smile,  "what  do  you  mean?" 

"  Oh  !  I  don't  mean  to  invite  the  whole  forest 


QUEEN   HILDE  GARDE.  273 

to  supper,"  said  Hildegarde,  laughing-.  "  But 
you  shall  see,  Nurse  Lucy ;  you  shall  see. 
Just  wait  till  this  afternoon.  I  must  run  now 
over  to  Pink's,  and  tell  her  all  the  wonderful 
things  that  have  happened,  and  see  how  poor 
Bubble  is." 

Away  she  went  like  a  flash,  through  the 
golden  fields,  down  the  lane,  where  the  maples 
made  a  flaming  tent  of  scarlet  over  her  head, 
bursting  suddenly  like  a  whirlwind  into  the 
little  cottage,  where  the  brother  and  sister, 
both  now  nearly  helpless,  sat  waiting  with  pale 
and  anxious  faces.  At  sight  of  her  Pink  ut- 
tered a  cry  of  delight,  while  Bubble  flushed 
with  pleasure ;  and  both  were  about  to  pour 
out  a  flood  of  eager  questions,  when  Hilda  laid 
her  hand  over.  Pink's  mouth  and  made  a  sign 
to  the  boy.  "  Two  minutes  to  get  my  breath  !  " 
she  cried,  panting  ;  "  only  two,  and  then  you 
shall  hear  all."  She  spent  the  two  minutes  in 
filling  the  kettle  and  presenting  Bubble  with  a 
pot  of  peach-marmalade  that  Dame  Hartley 


274  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

had  sent  him  ;  then,  sitting  down  by  the  in- 
valid's chair,  she  told  from  beginning  to  end 
the  history  of  the  past  two  days.  The  recital 
was  thrilling  enough,  and  before  it  was  over 
the  pale  cheeks  were  crimson,  and  the  two 
pairs  of  blue  eyes  blazed  with  excitement. 

"  Oh  !  "  cried  Bubble,  hopping  up  and  down 
in  his  chair,  regardless  of  the  sprained  ankle. 
u  Oh,  I  say.  Miss  Hildy  !  I  dunno  what  to  say  ! 
Would  n't  he  ha'  liked  it,  though  ?  My  !  'twas 
jest  like  himself.  Jes'  exactly  what  he  'd  ha' 
done." 

"What  who  would  have  done,  Bubble?" 
asked  Hilda,  laughing. 

"Why,  him!  Buckle-oh !  "  said  the  boy. 
"  I  was  jest  say  in'  over  the  ballid  when  I  saw 
ye  comin'.  War  n't  it  like  him,  Pink,  say  ?  " 

But  Pink  drew  the  stately  head  down  to- 
wards her,  and  kissed  the  glowing  cheek,  and 
whispered,  "  Queen  Hildegarde  !  my  queen  !  " 

The  tears  started  to  Hilda's  eyes  as  she  re- 
turned the  kiss  ;  but  she  brushed  them  away, 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  275 

and  rose  hastily,  announcing1  her  intention  of 
"  setting  things  to  rights  "  against  Mrs.  Chirk's 
return.  "  You  poor  dears  !  "  she  cried,  "  how 
did  you  manage  yesterday  I  If  I  had  only 
known,  I  would  have  coine  and  got  dinner 
for  you." 

"  Oh !  we  got  on  very  well  indeed,"  replied 
Pink,  laughing,  "  though  there  were  one  or 
two  mishaps.  Fortunately  there  was  plenty 
of  bread  in  the  cupboard,  where  we  could 
easily  reach  it;  and  with  that  and  the  mo- 
lasses jug,  we  were  in  no  danger  of  starvation. 
But  Mother  had  left  a  custard-pie  on  the  upper 
shelf,  and  poor  Bubble  wanted  a  piece  of  it 
for  dinner.  But  neither  of  us  cripples  could 
get  at  it ;  and  for  a  long  time  we  could  think 
of  no  plan  which  would  make  it  possible.  At 
last  Bubble  had  a  bright  idea.  You  remember 
the  big  fork  that  Mother  uses  to  take  pies  out 
of  the  oven  ?  Well,  he  spliced  that  on  to 
the  broom-handle,  and  then,  standing  well 
back,  so  that  he  could  see  (on  one  foot,  of 


276  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

course,  for  he  could  n't  put  the  other  to  the 
ground),  he  reached  for  the  pie.  It  was  a 
dreadful  moment,  Hilda  !  The  pie  slid  easily 
on  to  the  fork,  and  for  a  moment  all  seemed 
to  promise  well ;  but  the  next  minute,  just  as 
Bubble  began  to  lower  it,  he  wavered  on  his 
one  foot  —  only  a  little,  but  enough  to  send 
the  poor  pie  tumbling  to  the  ground." 

"Poor  pie!"  cried  Bubble.  "Wai,  I  like 
that !  Poor  me,  I  sh'd  say.  I  'd  had  bread  'n 
m'lasses  three  meals  runnin',  Miss  Hildy.  Now 
don't  you  think  that  old  pie  might  ha'  come 
dowTn  straight  I  " 

"  You  should  have  seen  his  face,  poor 
dear !  "  cried  Pink.  "  He  really  could  n't 
laugh  —  for  almost  two  minutes." 

"Wai,  I  s'pose  'twas  kind  o'  funny,"  the 
boy  admitted,  while  Hilda  laughed  merrily 
over  the  catastrophe.  "  But  thar  !  when  one 's 
used  to  standin'  on  two  legs,  it's  dretful  on- 
handy  tryin'  to  stand  on  one.  We  '11  have 
bread  and  jam  to-day,"  he  added,  with  an 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  277 

affectionate  glance  at  the  pot  of  marmalade, 
"  and  that 's  a  good  enough  dinner  for  the 
Governor  o'  the  State." 

"  Indeed,  you  shall  have  more  than  that ! " 
cried  Hildegarde.  "  Nurse  Lucy  does  not  need 
me  before  dinner,  so  I  will  get  your  dinner  for 
you." 

So  the  active  girl  made  up  the  fire  anew, 
swept  the  floor,  dusted  tables  arid  chairs,  and 
made  the  little  room  look  tidy  and  cheerful,  as 
Pink  loved  to  see  it.  Then  she  ran  down  to 
the  cellar,  and  reappeared  with  a  basket  of 
potatoes  and  a  pan  of  rosy  apples. 

"  Now  we  will  perform  a  trio  ! "  she  said. 
"  Pink,  you  shall  peel  and  core  the  apples  for 
apple-sauce,  and  Bubble  shall  pare  the  pota- 
toes, while  I  make  biscuit  and  gingerbread." 

Accordingly,  she  rolled  up  her  sleeves  and 
set  busily  to  work  ;  the  others  followed  her 
example,  and  fingers  and  tongues  moved 
ceaselessly,  in  cheerful  emulation  of  each 
other. 


278  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

"  I  'd  like  to  git  hold  o'  Simon  Hartley  !  " 
said  Bubble,  slicing  vengefully  at  a  big  po- 
tato. "I  wish't  he  was  this  tater,  so  I  do! 
I'd  skin  him  !  Yah  !  ornery  critter  !  An'  him 
standin'  thar  an'  grinnin'  at  me  over  the  wall, 
an'  I  could  n't  do  nothin' !  Seemed  's  though 
I  sh'd  fly,  Miss  Hildy,  it  did ;  an'  then  not  to 
be  able  to  crawl  even !  I  sw  —  I  tell  ye, 
now,  I  didn't  like  that." 

"  Poor  Bubble  !  "  said  Hilda,  compassionately, 
"  I  'm  sure  you  did  n't.  And  did  he  really 
start  to  crawl  over  to  the  farm,  Pink  ?  " 

"  Indeed  he  did  !  "  replied  Pink.  "  Nothing 
that  I  could  say  would  keep  him  from  trying 
it ;  so  I  bandaged  his  ankle  as  well  as  I  could, 
and  off  he  started.  But  he  fainted  twice  be- 
fore he  got  to  the  gate,  so  there  was  nothing 
for  it  but  to  crawl  back  again,  and  —  have  the 
knees  of  his  trousers  mended." 

"  Dear  boy  ! "  said  Hilda,  patting  the  curly 
head  affectionately.  "  Good,  faithful  boy  !  I 
shall  think  a  great  deal  more  of  it,  Bubble, 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  279 

than  if  you  had  been  able  to  walk  all  the 
way.  And,  after  all,"  she  added,  "  I  am  glad 
I  had  to  do  it  myself,  —  go  down  to  the  mill, 
I  mean.  It  is  something  to  remember !  I 
would  not  have  missed  it." 

"  No  more  would  n't  I ! "  cried  Bubble,  en- 
thusiastically. "I'd  ha'  done  it  for  ye  twenty 
times,  ye  know  that,  Miss  Hildy ;  but  I  druther 
ha7  bed  you  do  it ; "  and  Hildegarde  understood 
him  perfectly. 

The  simple  meal  prepared  and  set  out,  Hilda 
bade  farewell  to  her  two  friends,  and  flitted 
back  to  the  farm.  Mrs.  Chirk  was  to  return 
in  the  evening,  so  she  felt  no  further  anxiety 
about  them. 

She  found  the  farmer  just  returned  from  the 
village  in  high  spirits.  Squire  Graylord  had 
examined  the  diamonds,  pronounced  them  of 
great  value,  and  had  readily  advanced  the 
money  to  pay  off  the  mortgage,  taking  two  or 
three  large  stones  as  security.  Lawyer  Clinch 
had  reluctantly  received  his  money,  and  relin- 


280  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

quished  all  claim  upon  Hartley's  Glen,  though 
with  a  very  bad  grace. 

"  He  kind  o'  insinuated  that  the  diamonds 
had  prob'ly  ben  stole  by  Father  or  me,  he 
could  n't  say  which ;  and  he  said  somethin' 
about  mquirin'  into  the  matter.  But  Squire 
Gaylord  shut  him  up  pooty  quick,  by  sayin' 
thai*  was  more  things  than  that  as  might  be 
^nquired  into,  and  if  he  began,  others  might 
go  on ;  and  Lawyer  Clinch  had  n't  nothirr1 
more  to  say  after  that." 

When  dinner  was  over,  and  everything 
"'redded  up,"  Hildegarde  sent  Dame  Hartley 
upstairs  to  take  a  nap,  and  escorted  the  farmer 
as  far  as  the  barn  on  his  way  to  the  turnip- 
field.  Then,  "  the  coast  being  clear,"  she  said 
to  herself,  "  we  will  prepare  for  the  tree-party." 

Accordingly,  arming  herself  with  a  stout 
pruning-knife,  she  took  her  way  to  the  "  wood- 
lot,"  which  lay  on  the  north  side  of  the  house. 
The  splendor  of  the  trees,  which  were  now  in 
full  autumnal  glory,  gave  Hilda  a  sort  of  rap- 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  281 

ture  as  she  approached  them.  What  had  she 
ever  seen  so  beautiful  as  this,  —  the  shifting, 
twinkling  myriads  of  leaves,  blazing  with  every 
imaginable  shade  of  color  above  the  black, 
straight  trunks ;  the  deep,  translucent  blue 
of  the  sky  bending  above ;  the  golden  light 
which  transfused  the  whole  scene ;  the  crisp 
freshness  of  the  afternoon  air?  She  wanted 
to  sing,  to  dance,  to  do  everything  that  was 
joyous  and  free.  But  now  she  had  work  to 
do.  She  visited  all  her  favorite  trees,  —  the 
purple  ash,  the  vivid,  passionate  maples,  the  oaks 
in  their  sober  richness  of  murrey  and  crimson. 
On  each  and  all  she  levied  contributions,  cut- 
ting armful  after  armful,  and  carried  them  to 
the  house,  piling  them  in  splendid  heaps  on 
the  shed-floor.  Then,  after  carefully  laying 
aside  a  few  specially  perfect  branches,  she 
began  the  work  of  decoration.  Over  the 
chimney-piece  she  laid  great  boughs  of  maple, 
glittering  like  purest  gold  in  the  afternoon 
light,  which  streamed  broadly  in  through  the 


282  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

windows.  Others  —  scarlet,  pink,  dappled  red, 
and  yellow  —  were  placed  over  the  windows, 
the  doors,  the  dresser.  She  filled  the  corners 
with  stately  oak-boughs,  and  made  a  bower 
of  the  purple  ash  in  the  bow- window,  —  Faith's 
window.  Then  she  set  the  tea-table  with  the 
best  china,  every  plate  and  dish  resting  on  a 
mat  of  scarlet  leaves,  while  a  chain  of  yellow 
ones  outlined  the  shining  square  board.  A 
tiny  scarlet  wreath  encircled  the  tea-kettle, 
and  even  the  butter-dish  displayed  its  golden 
balls  beneath  an  arch  of  flaming  crimson. 
This  done,  she  filled  a  great  glass  bowl  with 
purple-fringed  asters  and  long,  gleaming  sprays 
of  golden-rod,  and  setting  it  in  the  middle 
of  the  table,  stood  back  with  her  head  a 
little  on  one  side  and  surveyed  the  general 
effect. 

"  Good  !  "  was  her  final  comment;  "very 
good !  And  now  for  my  own  part." 

She  gathered  in  her  apron  the  branches  first 
selected,  and  carried  them  up  to  her  own  room, 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  283 

where  she  proceeded  to  strip  off  the  leaves 
and  to  fashion  them  into  long  garlands.  As 
her  busy  fingers  worked,  her  thoughts  flew 
hither  and  thither,  bringing  back  the  memories 
of  the  past  few  days.  Now  she  stood  in  the 
kitchen,  pistol  in  hand,  facing  the  rascal  Simon 
Hartley ;  and  she  laughed  to  think  how  he  had 
shaken  and  cowered  before  the  empty  weapon. 
Now  she  was  in  the  vault  of  the  ruined  mill, 
with  a  thousand  horrors  of  darkness  pressing 
on  her,  and  only  the  tiny  spark  of  light  in  her 
lantern  to  keep  off  the  black  and  shapeless 
monsters.  Now  she  thought  of  the  kind 
farmer,  with  a  throb  of  pity,  as  she  recalled 
the  hopeless  sadness  of  his  face  the  night  be- 
fore. Just  the  very  night  before,  only  a  few 
hours ;  and  now  how  different  everything  was  ! 
Her  heart  gave  a  little  happy  thrill  to  think 
that  she,  Hilda,  the  "  city  gal,"  had  been  able 
to  help  these  dear  friends  in  their  trouble. 
They  loved  her  already,  she  knew  that ;  they 
would  love  her  more  now.  Ah !  and  they 


284  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

would   miss   her  all  the  more,   now  that  she 
must  leave  them  so  soon. 

Then,  like  a  flash,  her  thoughts  reverted  to 
the  plan  she  had  been  revolving  in  her  mind 
two  days  before,  before  all  these  strange  things 
had  happened.  It  was  a  delightful  little  plan ! 
Pink  was  to  be  sent  to  a  New  York  hospital, 
—  the  very  best  hospital  that  could  be  found  ; 
and  Hildegarde  hoped — she  thought  —  she  felt 
almost  sure  that  the  trouble  could  be  greatly 
helped,  if  not  cured  altogether.  And  then, 
when  Pink  was  well,  or  at  least  a  great,  great 
deal  better,  she  was  to  come  and  live  at  the 
farm,  and  help  Nurse  Lucy,  and  sing  to  the 
farmer,  and  be  all  the  comfort  - —  no,  not  all, 
but  nearly  the  comfort  that  Faith  would  have 
been  if  she  had  lived.  And  Bubble  —  yes  ! 
Bubble  must  go  to  school,  —  to  a  good  school, 
where  his  bright,  quick  mind  should  learn 
everything  there  was  to  learn.  Papa  would 
see  to  that,  Hilda  knew  he  would.  Bubble 
would  delight  Papa  !  And  then  he  would  go 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  285 

to  college,  and  by  and  by  become  a  famous 
doctor,  or  a  great  lawyer,  or  —  oh  !  Bubble 
could  be  anything  he  chose,  she  was  sure 
of  it. 

So  the  girl's  happy  thoughts  flew  on  through 
the  years  that  were  to  come,  weaving  golden 
fancies  even  as  her  fingers  were  weaving  the 
gay  chains  of  shining  leaves ;  but  let  us  hope 
the  fancy-chains,  airy  as  they  were,  were  des- 
tined to  become  substantial  realities  long  after 
the  golden  wreaths  had  faded. 

But  now  the  garlands  were  ready,  and  none 
too  soon;  for  the  shadows  were  lengthening, 
and  she  heard  Nurse  Lucy  downstairs,  and 
Farmer  Hartley  would  be  coming  in  soon  to 
his  tea.  She  took  from  a  drawer  her  one  white 
frock,  the  plain  lawn  which  had  once  seemed 
so  over-plain  to  her,  and  with  the  wreaths  of 
scarlet  and  gold  she  made  a  very  wonderful 
thing  of  it.  Fifteen  minutes'  careful  work,  and 
Hilda  stood  looking  at  her  image  in  the  glass, 
well  pleased  and  a  little  surprised ;  for  she  had 


286  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

been  too  busy  of  late  to  think  much  about  her 
looks,  and  had  not  realized  how  sun  and  air 
and  a  free,  out-door  life  had  made  her  beauty 
blossom  and  glow  like  a  rose  in  mid-June. 
With  a  scarlet  chaplet  crowning  her  fair  locks, 
bands  of  gold  about  waist  and  neck  and  sleeves, 
and  the  whole  skirt  covered  with  a  fantastic 
tracery  of  mingled  gold  and  fire,  she  was  a 
vision  of  almost  startling  loveliness.  She  gave 
a  little  happy  laugh.  "  Dear  old  Farmer!" 
she  said,  "  he  likes  to  see  me  fine.  I  think 
this  will  please  him."  And  light  as  a  thistle- 
down, the  girl  floated  downstairs  and  danced 
into  the  kitchen  just  as  Farmer  Hartley  entered 
it  from  the  other  side. 

"  Highty-tighty ! "  cried  the  good  man, 
"what's  all  this?  Is  there  a  fire?  Every- 
thing 's  all  ablaze !  Why,  Hildy !  bless  my 
soul !  "  He  stood  in  silent  delight,  looking  at 
the  lovely  figure  before  him,  with  its  face  of 
rosy  joy  and  its  happy,  laughing  eyes. 

"  It 's  a   tree-party,"   explained   Hildegarde, 


QUEEN   HILDEGARDE.  287 

taking  his  two  hands  and  leading  him  forward. 
61 1  'm  part  of  it,  you  see,  Farmer  Hartley.  Do 
you  like  it  ?  Is  it  pretty  ?  It 's  to  celebrate  our 
good  fortune,"  she  added  ;  and  putting  her  arm 
in  the  old  man's,  she  led  him  about  the  room, 
pointing  out  the  various  decorations,  and  asking 
his  approval. 

Farmer  Hartley  admired  everything  greatly, 
but  in  an  absent  way,  as  if  his  mind  were  pre- 
occupied with  other  matters.  He  turned  fre- 
quently towards  the  door,  as  if  he  expected 
some  one  to  follow  him.  "  All  for  me  ?  "  he 
kept  asking.  "All  for  me  and  Marm  Lucy, 
Hildy  ?  Ye  —  ye  ain't  expectin'  nobody  else 
to  tea,  now  ?  " 

"No,"  said  Hilda,  wondering.  "Of  course 
not.  Who  else  is  there  to  come  ?  Bubble  has 
sprained  his  ankle,  you  know,  and  Pink  —  " 

"  Yes,  yes ;  I  know,  I  know !  "  said  the 
farmer,  still  with  that  backward  glance  at  the 
door.  And  then,  as  he  heard  some  noise  in 
the  yard,  he  added  hurriedly :  "At  the  same 

18 


288  QUEEN   HILDEGARDE. 

time,  ye  know,  Hildy,  people  do  sometimes 
drop  in  to  tea  —  kind  o'  onexpected-like,  y' 
understand.  And  —  and  —  all  this  pretty  show 
might  —  might  seem  to  —  indicate,  ye  see —  " 

"  Jacob  Hartley,  what  are  you  up  to  ?  "  de- 
manded Nurse  Lucy,  rather  anxiously,  as  she 
stood  at  the  shed-door  watching  him  intently. 
"Does  your  head  feel  dizzy?  You'd  better 
go  and  lie  down ;  you  've  had  too  much 
excitement  for  a  man  of  —  " 

"Oh,  you  thar,  Marm  Lucy?"  cried  the 
farmer,  with  a  sigh  of  relief  that  was  half  a 
chuckle.  "Now,  thar!  you  tell  Hildy  that 
folks  does  sometimes  drop  in  —  onexpected- 
like — folks  from  a  cowsid'able  distance  some- 
times. Why,  I  Ve  known  'em  —  "  But  here  he 
stopped  suddenly.  And  as  Hilda,  expecting 
she  knew  not  what,  stood  with  hands  clasped 
together,  and  beating  heart,  the  door  was 
thrown  open  and  a  strong,  cheery  voice  cried, 
"Well,  General!"  Another  moment,  and  she 
was  clasped  in  her  father's  arms. 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  289 


THE   LAST  WORD. 

THE  lovely  autumn  is  gone,  and  winter  is 
here.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Graham  have  long  since 
been  settled  at  home,  and  Hildegarde  is  with 
them.  How  does  it  fare  with  her,  the  new 
Hildegarde,  under  the  old  influences  and  amid 
the  old  surroundings  ?  For  answer,  let  us 
take  the  word  of  her  oldest  friend,  —  the  friend 
who  "  Mows  Hildegarde  !  "  Madge  Everton 
has  just  finished  a  long  letter  to  Helen  Mclvor, 
who  is  spending  the  winter  in  Washington, 
and  there  can  be  no  harm  in  our  taking  a  peep 
into  it. 

"  You  ask  me  about  Hilda  Graham ;  but,  alas  !  I 
have  NOTHING  pleasant  to  tell.  My  dear,  Hilda  is 
simply  LOST  to  us  !  It  is  all  the  result  of  that  dread- 
ful summer  spent  among  swineherds.  You  know  what 
the  Bible  says  !  I  don't  know  exactly  what,  but  some- 


290  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

thing  terrible  about  that  sort  of  thing.  Of  course  it 
is  partly  her  mother's  influence  as  well.  I  have 
always  DREADED  it  for  Hilda,  who  is  so  sensitive  to 
impressions.  Why,  I  remember,  as  far  back  as  the 
first  year  that  we  were  at  Mme.  Haut-Ton's,  Mrs. 
Graham  saying  to  Mamma, '  I  wish  we  could  interest 
our  girls  a  little  in  sensible  things ! '  My  dear,  she 
meant  hospitals  and  soup-kitchens  and  things !  And 
Mamma  said  (you  know  Mamma  is  n't  in  the  least 
afraid  of  Mrs.  Graham,  though  I  confess  I  AM  !),  '  My 
dear  Mrs.  Graham,  if  there  is  one  thing  Society  will 
NOT  tolerate,  it  is  a  sensible  woman.  Our  girls  might 
as  well  have  the  small-pox  at  once,  and  be  done  with 
it.'  Was  n't  it  clever  of  Mamma  ?  And  Mrs.  Graham 
just  LOOKED  at  her  as  if  she  were  a  camel  from 
Barnum's. 

"  Well,  poor  Hildegarde  is  sensible  enough  now  to 
satisfy  even  her  mother.  Ever  since  she  came  home 
from  that  odious  place,  it  has  been  one  round  of  hos- 
pitals and  tenement-houses  and  sloughs  of  horror.  I 
don't  mean  that  she  has  given  up  school,  for  she  is 
studying  harder  than  ever ;  but  out  of  school  she  is 
simply  swallowed  up  by  these  wretched  things.  I  have 
remonstrated  with  her  almost  on  my  KNEES.  '  Hilde- 
garde/ I  said  one  day, '  do  you  REALIZE  that  you  are 
practically  giving  up  your  whole  LIFE  ?  If  you  once 
lose  your  place  in  Society  among  those  of  your  own 
age  and  position,  you  NEVER  can  regain  it.  Do  you 


QUEEN  HILDEGARDE.  291 

REALIZE  this,  Hilda  ?  for  I  feel  it  a  SOLEMN  DUTY  to 
warn  you  ! '  My  dear,  she  actually  LAUGHED  !  and 
only  said, ;  Dear  Madge,  I  have  only  just  begun  to  have 
any  life  ! '  And  that  was  all  I  could  get  out  of  her,  for 
just  then  some  one  came  in.  But  even  this  is  not  the 
worst!  Oh,  Helen!  she  has  some  of  the  creatures 
whom  she  saw  this  summer,  actually  staying  in  the 
house,  —  in  THAT  house,  which  we  used  to  call  Castle 
Graham,  and  were  almost  afraid  to  enter  ourselves, 
so  stately  and  beautiful  it  was!  There  are  two  of 
these  creatures,  —  a  girl  about  our  age,  some  sort  of 
dreadful  cripple,  who  goes  about  in  a  bath-chair,  and 
a  freckled  imp  of  a  boy.  The  girl  is  at Hos- 
pital for  treatment,  but  spends  every  Sunday  at  the 
Grahams',  and  Hilda  devotes  most  of  her  spare  time  to 
her.  The  boy  is  at  school,  —  one  of  the  best  schools  in 
the  city.  '  But  who  are  these  people  ?  '  I  hear  you  cry. 
My  dear  !  they  are  simply  ignorant  paupers,  who  were 
Hilda's  constant  companions  through  that  disastrous 
summer.  Now  their  mother  is  dead,  and  the  people 
with  whom  Hilda  stayed  have  adopted  them.  The 
boy  is  to  be  a  doctor,  and  the  girl  is  going  to  get  well, 
Dr.  George  says.  (He  cans  ner  a  beautiful  and  inter- 
esting creature  ;  but  you  know  what  that  means.  Any 
diseased  creature  is  beautiful  to  him!)  Well,  and 
THESE,  my  dear  Helen,  are  Hilda  Graham's  FRIENDS, 
for  whom  she  has  deserted  her  OLD  ones  !  for  though 
she  is  unchanged  towards  me  when  I  see  her,  I  hardly 


292  QUEEN  HILDEGARDE. 

ever  do  see  her.  She  cares  nothing  for  my  pursuits, 
and  I  certainly  have  NO  intention  of  joining  in  hers. 
I  met  her  the  other  day  on  Fifth  Avenue,  walking 
beside  that  odious  bath-chair,  which  the  freckled  boy 
was  pushing.  She  looked  so  lovely  (for  she  is  prettier 
than  ever,  with  a  fine  color  and  eyes  like  stars),  and 
was  talking  so  earnestly,  and  walking  somehow  as  if 
she  were  treading  on  air,  it  sent  a  PANG  through  my 
heart."  I  just  paused  an  instant  (for  though  I  trust  I 
am  not  SNOBBISH,  Helen,  still,  I  draw  the  line  at  bath- 
chairs,  and  will  not  be  seen  standing  by  one),  and  said 
in  a  low  tone,  meant  only  for  her  ear,  '  Ah !  has 
Queen  Hildegarde  come  to  this  ?  9  My  dear,  she  only 
LAUGHED  !  But  that  girl,  that  cripple,  looked  up  with 
a  smile  and  a  sort  of  flash  over  her  face,  and  said, 
just  as  if  she  knew  me,  '  Yes,  Miss  Everton !  the 
Queen  has  come  to  her  kingdom ! ' " 


THE   END. 


2600  To  I  m  a  n  Ha  1  1 


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